Charity Case
by Pluto's Pomegranate
Summary: 6 months after the war, Severus and Hermione have a one night stand, but when Hermione leaves in the morning, only wanting a casual fling, it causes a stir in their old fashioned community. A story which will hopefully make you either laugh or cry. Long, mulit-chapter with lots of lemons.
1. One Night

AUTHOR'S NOTE = Set 6 months after the war and Severus and Hermione have a one night stand a month before she is set to take her NEWT exams. This causes a scandal throughout the Wizarding World and affects both of them in different ways. Minerva later needs Hermione's help in returning Hogwarts to its former glory, but the young witches' ideas are simply too different. It's a story of life after devastation and what I hope is a realistic way of representing a possible SSHG relationship. They seem OOC in some parts of Ch 1 but please remember that this is because they are drunk.

Please Read and Review and No Flames, please.

There are lemons in this chapter, be warned.

* * *

"'Mione! Hey, 'Mione, we're over here!"

Hermione looked up as she passed the bar and saw Ron's distinctive red hair hovering above the crowd. He had gotten even taller since the last time she saw him. She walked closer and saw the large table with her friends and a couple of Order members at it.

"Hey 'Mione, I thought you said you'd only be a few minutes late?" Harry said from behind a large pint glass.

"I was studying and lost track of time. I'm sorry, but I'm here now and the next round's on me."

A chorus of here-here's sounded around the table and a smile graced her lips as she glanced at all the glasses. There was mostly butter-beers and fire whiskeys apart from two. There was a glass of a dark liquid, that Hermione would have said was coke if she wasn't in a wizarding bar, in front of both Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. She tilted her head and caught the austere man's eye. "What are you drinking?" she asked.

Snape looked around and seemed to be weighing two decisions when he gave up and mumbled, "I'll just come with you."

Hermione was taken aback and turned back to the bar after saying a quiet thank you that she was sure he didn't hear.

"Hello Dave," she said cheerily as they approached the bar.

"'Allo Miss Granger, where's your fellow tonight?" Hermione's face went red and she glanced at the Professor next to her who had raised his eyebrow in interest. To make matters worse Dave then said with a nod to Snape, "or have you moved on already?"

Hermione spluttered while Snape's eyebrow slammed back down and he begun to sneer at the bartender.

"Four butter beers, two fire whiskeys and a pumpkin brew please, Dave," said Hermione eventually.

"And for you, Professor?" Dave asked Snape.

"Just two of the usual."

Hermione watched with interest as Dave reached into a cabinet under the bar and pulled out a 70cl of jameson and a bottle of coke. She turned to Snape in surprise but he was looking resolutely at Dave. She wondered how Snape had persuaded a wizard to sell a muggle drink on the down low, but one look at his stony face showed that he would never tell her. She bit her lip and thought of something to say just to fill the silence; it was a rather long order.

"You must come here often then." It wasn't a question but it sounded like it and she flinched when he answered with a tersely spoken, "obviously."

She heard him sigh and reach for his now filled drink. "This pub is connected to the floo in the Hog's Head. David is a muggleborn and agreed to sell me muggle drinks as long as I don't advertise it to the population." He leaned back against the bar and stretched out his long black clad legs in front of him. He seemed more relaxed now that he had a drink in his hands.

"You don't like firewhiskey?" she asked, surprised; he seemed like the kind of man to nurse a bottle of firewhiskey on a nightly basis.

"Quite the contrary; but I make a note not to drink it with company." He sneered when he saw her confused expression and looked firmly at his feet when he added, "wizarding alcohol goes straight to my head."

She laughed and reached for the orange drink that Dave had just put in front of her, "We have that in common."

"What is that?" he asked brusqly, giving off an air that he didn't care at all.

"Pumpkin brew; It tastes just like vodka and orange juice. I, like you, prefer muggle drinks." She noticed that he was watching her as she took a drink from the glass and asked politely, "would you like to try it?"

He seemed taken aback and stared into her eyes for lot longer than necessary before hesitantly nodding. Hermione would have laughed at his odd behaviour if it as anyone else; but this was Professor Snape, it would have been odd if he wasn't odd. She placed the glass in his free hand and noticed how calloused his hands were as he stared into the light orange liquid. She took the opportunity to study his form; he was dressed in black slacks, a black waistcoat and a white shirt with a black cravat and a high collar to hide the scars that she knew was there. His black hair was as greasy as ever but it was tied back with a brown leather band that stood out and she was surprised at how casual he looked, even with a cravat. Hermione was actually surprised that he was even there.

He had been coming to the order gatherings every Friday since the end of the war with Minerva, but Hermione bet a galleon that he would turn down the invitation to celebrate Harry and Ron's success in passing the entrance exam to the Auror Academy. Ginny had gleefully accepted that galleon when Harry sent a patronus with the names of all the guests.

Snape lowered the glass from his wet lips and grimaced as he nodded, "vodka."

"You don't like vodka?" she asked as she took the glass from him and their hands touched again.

"It tastes like nail varnish remover and bleach" he stated in a deep voice. Hermione wondered how he would know what those tasted like but her thoughts were interrupted by Dave's voice saying that the drinks were ready. Hermione payed for all the drinks and levitated the trays of drinks towards the large table in the corner.

"You didn't have to do that," Snape said as he walked back with her carrying two Jameson and cokes.

"It's alright, Professor. You can buy my next one."

The only free seat was next to the two Professors at the end of the table directly opposite from Harry.

"Where's George," Hermione asked as she slid into his abandoned seat.

"He went home; didn't feel well," Ron said with a dark look.

Hermione nodded in understanding; George still wasn't the same after Fred's death.

"How is your studying going, Hermione?"

Professor McGonagall leaned across Snape to talk to her most prized pupil. Hermione loved talking to Minerva, as she was now allowed to call her after making the decision to take her newts at Christmas under independent study.

"I actually had a question about the theory of Metamorphing while in animagus form."

Minerva's eyes lit up as Hermione spoke. "Finally, another intellectual being! I was becoming bored with Severus' sullen debates," she said with a wink.

Snape scoffed and subtlety passed the second glass of his special drink to his colleague next to him as she launched into a well-informed argument on the merits of being an animagus.

Five minutes later Ginny stood up to get another round and came back carrying a tray of Dragon shots. "Drink up!"

"What are they?" asked Hermione.

"Shots," said Ron like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why are they called Dragon shots?" asked Harry, eyeing the sparkling purple glasses warily.

"You'll see," said Ginny with a gleam in her eye "Are ye ready, Professors?"

Snape looked about ready to leave as he was handed a purple shot but McGonagall spoke before he could comment. "If you youngsters are under the delusion that ye will able to out drink me, ye are severely mistaken," she said in her Scottish brogue. "Pass over those shots Miss Weasley!"

The people around eyed their past teachers speculatively, but everyone took their glass in their hand. "On the count of three!" Ginny shouted. "One!"

Hermione eyed the shot warily and saw Snape doing the same out of the corner of her eye. "After this I'm going to check in what you owe me and order another brew on your tab," she said cheekily. At first, he seemed taken aback but then smirked at her in a way that wasn't nasty at all and made her take in a deep breath.

"Two!"

"It would be an honour, Miss Granger," he said while looking into her eyes.

"Three!" The two maintained eye contact while they downed the fizzing purple concoction that buzzed on the way down. Hermione was hit with a sensation akin to the one that someone feels just as a plane takes off. It felt like the wind had swallowed her whole and for a minute, she was flying, but she never left her seat, and she was still looking at her Professor. His pupils had dilated and she knew that he felt it too. It was weird.

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed as he looked down at his feet on the floor. "I was expecting fire but that so much better! It was flying without broom!"

Ginny laughed at her boyfriend's innocence and finished the rest of her firewhiskey. "Well, Professor, what's next?" Ginny's tone seemed to suggest a challenge and McGonagall huffed and sent a patronus to the bar. "Miss Weasley, I fear you shall regret this in the morning."

Dave walked over carrying a tray with shot glasses filled with a pink liquid in the bottom half and a green liquid on top of that. As Hermione looked closer she saw that there was an occasional yellow flash in the shots just where the two colours met; like fireworks. Minerva waved her wand and suddenly there was a shot in front of everyone at the table. "I give you, Wonder Potion," she exclaimed with a flourish and Hermione laughed out loud when the Professor next to her rolled his eyes.

"It appears your drink will have to wait, Miss Granger." He smirked and picked up his shot as Minerva shouted, "one!"

"Hermione," she said lightly.

"What?"

"Two!"

"We're drinking together, Professor, I believe that we can drop the formalities tonight," she smiled at him.

"Three!" Hermione took her shot first and the sensation hit her like a train. It tasted divine, like lime and strawberry on a sugar pastry with lemonade, but then her head began to spin and bubbles erupted in her throat. She was left with a feeling of floating among the clouds and knew that she was drunk.

Snape was watching her and she noticed the still full shot in his hand. "Come on, drink up!" she said as Ron and Ginny argued about what the next round should be. The Professor took the shot quickly and Hermione had the pleasure of seeing him blink in surprise and then open his mouth with a very vacant expression that she could see clearly as his hair as pulled back from his face. "Wow," he said quietly, but she still heard him.

"I know," she agreed. "I feel very out of my depth already."

"Wizards," he said with an eye roll that said that that explained everything just fine.

"I always forget you're a half-blood," she laughed.

"Why?" he said with an open expression that she had never seen on him before. It struck her then that, he had been steadily drinking for an hour before she arrived and very well might already be drunk.

"I don't know," she said while looking into his black eyes.

"One!" Ron shouted and Hermione startled, looking down at the light blue shot in front of her.

"Did you hear the name of this one?" she muttered.

"Two!"

"No and I'm rather glad I didn't," he said as he picked it up. "Why do they all have to be so damn colourful?"

Hermione laughed and clinked the edge of her glass with his as Ron shouted, "three!"

This one tasted like blueberry sherbet and ice cream' it didn't come with a great kick but it caused a light buzzing sensation everywhere. Each one of her muscles screamed at her to do something. Dance, drink, eat, move, fuck.

"Hmm," Minerva hummed in approval, "good choice. Any ideas for the next one, Severus?"

All eyes turned to Snape and he squirmed under all the attention. "I seem to be blank at the moment." His face flushed and he tilted his head down in a movement that seemed regular for him, yet it did nothing to hide him as his hair was tied back from his face. Hermione took pity on him and stood up. "I'll go!" The world spun and she would have fallen but she placed her hand on the Potion's Master's shoulder for balance.

"Are you sure, 'Mione? Maybe someone should go with you," Ginny suggested.

"I'll go. I have to relieve myself anyway."

Hermione smiled as the Professor offered her his arm and walked her towards the bar. "Why are you wearing those shoes in the first place?" he asked her as she hung from the right of his body

"'Cause they're cute," she said simply.

"That they are," he said without really thinking and Hermione smiled up at him.

"You think so?"

He looked down at her in her little black dress with the scooping neckline that showed just a bit of cleavage and had sequins on the straps. Her shoes were black high heels with diamonds on the heels and did wonders to highlight her calves while giving her some well-needed height as well.

"You look beautiful," he said and she smiled even wider. Dave ruined the moment by coughing loudly.

"Oh, yes. Can you recommend a shot for us? We're not well versed in wizarding alcohol you see," Hermione said with a smile and her hand on the bar.

Dave smiled a toothy grin and tucked one of his dirty grey curls behind his ear. "A tray of Elements coming up."

"Elements?" Hermione asked. "I wonder what they do."

"I wouldn't know," Snape said and placed his hand on her back as she stumbled again.

"Thank you."

He coughed uncomfortably and changed the subject, keeping his hand where it was. "Why were you really late?" He laughed at her shocked expression and stepped closer to her pinning her against a bar stool. "Come now, Miss Granger, I was your teacher for six years, I know when you're lying."

"Hermione," she reminded him and placed her hands on his forearms as he stepped even closer. "I was on a date before I came here." He stepped back from as if she burned him and his face became stony. "It was only our second date," she rushed to explain, though she didn't know why. For some reason she felt like she had to justify herself to him.

"Only?" he asked indifferently.

"Yes, we haven't even, you know," she said with a blush.

"Has he kissed you?" he asked suddenly and Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"I- yes, he has. He kissed me before I came here."

"Was it a nice kiss?" Snape asked nastily. "Did he make you quiver with lust from just one kiss?" he stepped closer to her again and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I could," he whispered huskily in her ear and she felt his hot breath down her neck.

"There you go, Miss Granger." Dave smirked as Severus grabbed the tray and walked grumpily back to the table, leaving Hermione by the bar.

"Good luck with that one," said Dave with a knowing smile.

Hermione slid into The Professor's seat next to Minerva as he used the loo and asked where her shot was. "Severus took it, he said you didn't want it," said Minerva as she downed hers.

"I hope they play some music," said Neville with a nervous glance towards Luna next to him. Hermione stared in wonder at Neville who seemed to be the most sober out of all of them even though he was drinking just as much. He was solid in his chair whereas Harry at the head of the table was practically falling off his seat with every breath. She was thankful she wasn't that drunk yet. Maybe it was a good thing The Professor took her shot, although he didn't seem much better.

Neville smiled wildly as an old stereo began to play music from the wall and Luna clapped her hands together. They nearly knocked Professor Snape over as they ran onto the dancefloor. The man looked after them with interest and then turned back to the table. "Would you like to dance?" he asked Hermione stiffly, in front of everyone. Harry began to laugh and McGonagall rolled her eyes while Ron's ears turned red and Ginny's jaw dropped.

"Sure," she said stupidly and stood up, "thanks."

He took her hand and led onto the floor in a very formal ballroom hold. She laughed and stepped closer to him, slipping a hand around his neck and forcing him to loosen his hold.

"Relax, Professor."

"Severus," he coughed.

"Severus," she said slowly as she looked into his drunk hazed eyes that swallowed her whole. "You don't do this much, do you?" she asked lightly as she laid a head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"No," he said quietly.

"Why not?"

"I'm rarely this drunk in front of other people," he said bluntly and she laughed at his serious tone, knowing it to be true. She had to laugh because she worried she would get sad if she thought about it for too long.

"What about you? Do you do this often?" he asked lightly.

She scoffed. "I've had two dates that both went horribly with the same man because I thought everyone deserved a second chance. What does that say about me?"

"That you need to find another man," he said effortlessly and spun them in a circle. They looked at each other until the song ended and then walked back to the table to sit with Minerva and Ron, Harry and Ginny had gone dancing with the other couple.

"Send a patronus to the bar, Minerva."

"I don't know, Severus, it's getting busy. You might have to go up yourself."

"I'll do it," Ron said sullenly and left.

"What's wrong with Ron?" asked Hermione when they sat down together.

"I believe he's jealous," said Minerva slyly as she took some peanuts from a bowl in the centre of the table.

Snape straightened up in his seat and smirked at Hermione next to him. He had the unmistakeable grin of the cat who got the canary.

"You're despicable!" Hermione laughed. To her surprise her laughter was met by a deep chuckle that came from the man next to her and she turned to see him laugh out loud. She was struck by how much better he looked when he smiled; his black eyes lit up and turned welcoming and a healthy red flushed his pale face. He looked younger.

Ron came back to the table with four fire whiskeys and sat on the other side of Hermione after everyone had one. "When are your final exams, 'Mione?"

"Christmas, I'll have to stay in Hogwarts and take them there because the ministry is too busy with post war affairs apparently."

"You're welcome anytime, Hermione."

"Thank you, Headmistress."

"Come now, I've told you many a time to call me Minerva and if you're to be staying for the holidays then we must be on friendlier terms." Minerva winked at Hermione and downed her glass in one and Ron looked at her in awe."That's it for me I'm afraid. I must be getting back to the school."

Snape sighed next to her and got up as well. "I should probably get back to," he said.

"Stay," Hermione said without really thinking and turned to him with a look of surprise that almost matched his own.

"Yes, there's no need, Severus, it's a Friday night and I'm a big girl! I can look after myself."

"I'd feel better if I knew someone was with you," the Professor said still standing.

"I'll take you back, Headmistress," Ron grumbled, "it's not like I'm wanted here anyway."

"Thank you, Mr Weasley," Severus said as he sat back down next to Hermione.

"Then there were two," she said with a smile.

"Not exactly," he corrected with a nod towards the dancefloor where Harry, Ginny and Neville could be seen dancing wildly.

"Oh," she muttered and was puzzled at the sense of disappointment running through her. He turned towards her with a smirk that looked almost dangerous.

"Did you know that you are one of five to return to Hogwarts in order to take you NEWTS?"

"No, I didn't know that," Hermione smiled back at him and was struck once more by how different he looked.

"Hmm, I believe you'll do great things, Miss Granger," he muttered quietly, almost to himself, and Hermione wondered if he was so drunk that she forgot she was there.

She raised her chin and looked him in the eye, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not. When she found no trace of mockery she felt a tingle of satisfaction for finally achieving his approval, which was slightly sad after she thought about it.

"Hey, 'Mione this music is great!" Harry bounded into the chair that Ron had just left with Ginny on his lap.

"Um, yeah , it's great, Harry."

"God, I'm starving," said Neville as he sat at the table, "but what can you eat at this time of night?"

"Chipper."

"Chipper."

All heads turned to Hermione and Severus who had answered the question like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?" she asked defensively. "There's nothing better than eating a bag of chips with a can of coke on the way home from a pub."

"Or a snackbox," Snape added.

"Hmm, fish and chips," Hermione said with a wistful smile.

"A quarter pounder."

"Onion rings."

"Alright we get it! Muggles can make nice food!" Ginny laughed when Neville jumped and she downed Ron's abandoned fire whiskey. "We best be off, I'll see you next week 'Mione, Professor. You guys have fun at this Chip Err." She grabbed Neville and Harry by the arm and walked out of the pub. Luna had obviously been gone for a while.

"And then there were two," Hermione said lowly.

"Yes," he agreed with a smirk that promised more and Hermione was definite that if she had just one more drink, then she would be sure to accept whatever he offered.

* * *

Her back slammed into the wall of the alley by his house. "I thought we were going to, uh, Hogwarts," she panted as he licked and sucked her neck with a desperation that she had never seen on him before.

"I would never," he paused to plant a wet kiss on the other side of her neck, "hear the end," he groaned and bit down on the skin, "of it from Minerva," he abandoned her neck to look at her face, "if she saw us."

Hermione smiled and dragged his face down to her level to capture his already swollen lips with her own. She loved kissing him; he was just so good at it. Their tongues slid and glided and fought in a fight that was unfamiliar to them; they weren't used to kissing each other; yet.

She slid her hands into his hair and took out the brown leather tie, letting his black locks float into their faces. She touched it hungrily. "I've always wanted to touch your hair," she breathed in between kisses.

Severus groaned and reached down to lift her up against the wall by her buttocks. She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his erection pressing against her. It felt big and hot and hard and Hermione nearly squealed in delight when she felt it. It had been so long since she'd been with a man. And this wasn't just any man. This was the man.

He grinded against her and stars flashed behind her eyes. She was more than willing to be taken right there in a piss soaked alley in God knows where but then he muttered, "bed," in a low, lust filled voice that flowed like petals on water and she groaned in approval.

She didn't know how they made it to a bedroom, one minute they were grinding against each other in an alley and the next minute, they were in a darkened room on a soft, blue bed with his erection still pressed against her. He didn't even pause in his kiss as he apparated them through his wards and his display of magical superiority only served to arouse her further.

"Oh, Professor," she groaned loudly as he palmed her breast through the fabric of her dress. She had moaned his title by mistake and realised that teaching was probably the last thing he wanted to be reminded of right now. She kicked off her shoes and moved her hands to his chest to unbutton his waistcoat, but he stopped them and suddenly became very still.

"Miss-Hermione, you need to know that, I'm not, I don't look," he tilted his head down and his black hair fell in his face hiding him from her. She couldn't have that and moved under him to grasp his face in her hands, tucking his hair behind his ears. The alcohol was still warm in her throat and he looked slightly blurry every time she moved but, Christ, he was a beautiful blur.

"I don't care, Severus," she said staring into his eyes. "I have scars too," she kissed his lips and continued to unbutton his waistcoat. "I think you're beautiful," she whispered and swallowed his protests as she started to unbutton his shirt. Her hands landed on his pale, warm chest and she felt wiry muscles move beneath her fingers as he started to kiss her back.

Hermione observed him as he took off the rest of his clothing; he had sparse black hairs on his chest and a multitude of scars, the worst of which were on his neck and looked barely healed. She kissed those first. He lay beneath her as she kissed every one of his marks, including the grey one of his left forearm. After, when she was done, he turned them over and bathed her in his tongue, washing away any harm that people had inflicted on her before, until she was quivering ball of need, writhing under his lithe body.

His hair fell into her face when he first moved inside her and she ignored it by biting down on his lower lip and then suckling on it like a young babe. Their hips moved in an unpractised rhythm but they soon learned what the other liked. He would groan if she squeezed him within her before he thrusted again. She would sigh his Christian name if he rolled his hips and grinded against her pubic bone.

"Oh," he sighed against her ear and felt her nails scrape down his back as she arched into him. She clenched around him with a rush of fluids and screamed his name; his real name, not his title.

He shouted as he came in a torrent of profanities. It had been so long since he'd been with a woman. Severus collapsed on top of her soft body and melted into her curves. Somewhere in his drink muddled brain he knew that he was crushing her but she didn't seem to mind and he didn't want to leave her body just yet.

Hermione held her ex-teacher in the cradle of her thighs as they panted in unison she drew patterns in the sweat of his back. Distantly, he recognised that they were runes. When his sweat cooled and he began to grow cold he waved his hand and silently scourgified both them and the bed. He crawled next to her and dragged his midnight blue duvet over them and he wondered if they should cuddle or something like that. Women seem to like that kind of thing.

The question was answered for him as Hermione scooted closer to his naked body and rested her head on his right shoulder. However, the contact wasn't enough for him and he turned to hold her fully; chest against chest. It wasn't exactly comfortable but Severus was more than content as he held her warm and soft body closer to him.

They were both asleep in seconds.

* * *

Hermione woke with the worst headache she had ever had and a stinging pain behind her eyes as she tried to open them. Sunlight winked at her from tattered grey curtains and she guessed that it was late morning but she had no intentions of getting up. She was warm and tired and pleasantly sore. Wait…. Her blanket moved suddenly and the arm around her waist moved to touch her breast lightly before falling back down to her abdomen. Hermione screamed.

Severus woke to hear the woman in his arms scream and he opened his eyes to see a very naked Hermione Granger staring at him with wide brown eyes. His head was pounding and he felt sick, he couldn't think of anything to say other than, "fuck."

Surprisingly, she smiled shyly at him and flopped down against the pillows. He tried not to notice the way her breasts bounced but the action was as futile as it was to try to not be disappointed when she covered her body with the duvet. "My sentiments exactly," she said with closed eyes.

Flashbacks to last night flooded his mind and he really didn't know what to say. He could do nothing except summon two hangover reliefs and a contraceptive from his bathroom.

"Are you going to sit there staring at the wall all morning or what?"

Severus looked back at the chit next to him but she still hadn't opened her eyes. She seemed to be taking being fucked by her Potions Professor rather well. A memory of her whispering words of beauty across his naked skin came to the forefront of his mind but he banished the thought back to where it came. The potions landed in his hand and he handed them to her, not caring if she even took them or not.

"Thank you," she said and placed the empties on the locker next to the bed. She flopped back down and buried further into the quilt once more. He was tempted to join her and his traitorous mind whispered that there was no reason why he shouldn't. Why shouldn't he lay with her? Even so, he tilted back down to the space he had just vacated moments before slowly and hesitantly laid on his back, with one hand behind his head. Granger was lying on her left side watching him watch the ceiling.

"What?" he snapped.

When she didn't answer he turned to look at her biting her lip and smiling at him stupidly. He snorted in a rather unattractive way but he supposed she was right; it was rather funny.

"You have to admit, it was rather fun," she said cheekily, still on her side looking at him in profile.

Severus nodded slowly with raised eyebrows and said, "that it was." He couldn't remember bits of the night before but flashes of naked skin in the dark and phantom feelings of pleasure were still fresh in his mind. He settled further into the warm sheets with the firm thought that he hadn't felt this sated in a long time. He turned to lay on his right side and looked into her eyes.

Hermione gazed at him with fresh eyes and studied the hook in his large nose and his chiselled jaw, she could see that his stubble was coming through. He wasn't as handsome as last night when her mind was clouded, but somehow, she couldn't compare the naked man in front of her with the Professor Snape of her childhood.

"I should probably feel guiltier than I actually do." As soon as he said it he wished he didn't. Why did he say something like that? It wasn't up to him to fill the silence. Was it?

Hermione smiled at him. "I'm not your student anymore, Severus." His name fell from her lips easily and she remembered screaming it in pleasure last night and blushed.

"Thank Gods for that," he mumbled warily. He was trying to figure out what she wanted. Everyone wanted something from him but it looked like all she wanted to do was have a lie-in with him. He didn't know what to do or what he was allowed to do. He wanted to touch her again and remember every detail this time, but would she be okay with that? He reached out and hesitantly put a hand on her hip just by the dip of her waist. She smiled at him.

"Do you have to go back to the school?" she asked slyly while moving closer to his body. He was suddenly very aware of her presence and its influence on his morning arousal that was never this active before today, despite both of their morning breath.

"Not if I don't want to." He moved his arm to her waist as she moved even closer.

"Do you want to?" she whispered against his lips.

"Gods, no," he closed his eyes and gave into temptation as he climbed over her body and captured her lips with his own again and again. Severus re-explored her body in the morning light and gave her two orgasms before finally succumbing to desire himself.

It was slower and more hesitant this time with no mad lunging for each other or whispered words of sweet things. She noticed that neither of them gasped the others name this time; it was just pleasure filled words of 'yes' and 'right there' or 'more'. They did not look each other in the eye and instead, kissed each other's necks.

He moved off her as soon as he collapsed and laid next to her gasping for air. "I think we're rather good at that," she panted and he laughed in agreement. It was a nice sound and Hermione noticed that it made him look younger when he smiled.

He ran a hand through his hair and grimaced. "I can't wait to shower," he mumbled and turned to her to say that his shower was big enough for two, but her back was turned to him and she was sitting up in bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked casually as he rolled into the spot of warmth that she had just left. It was slick with their mingled sweat but he didn't have the heart to scourgify it yet.

"I'm getting dressed," she laughed like it was obvious and threw him a smile over her shoulder. He watched as she shimmied into her little black dress without bothering to put on her bra. "I'm meeting Ginny for lunch in Diagon Alley at half two."

For some reason he felt… angry, disappointed. He knew it was illogical for her to stay but he had thought that he could show off and make her breakfast or… something. Now, she wanted to leave like it was nothing.

"When will I see you again?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, but he desperately wanted to know. She couldn't just leave, not after last night, not after this morning. There wasn't such a thing as a one night stand in the wizarding world.

"Friday, I presume," she said with a smile and all Severus could think was that she used him, a quick fuck to replace the witless wonder she was currently dating. Whoever that stupid prick was.

She kneeled onto the bed fully dressed with a flushed face, swollen lips and wild hair and Severus couldn't help but be aroused. Again. She pushed back against his scarred chest that he suddenly felt so conscious about and pushed him to lay back into the bed.

"It's okay," she said with a smile, "you don't have to get up, I'll see myself out." The smile stayed on her face as she caressed his hair with her hand and he was even more conscious of the grease that he knew was there. He tried to glare at her, to tell her to stop and just leave, leave like everyone else had; but he didn't. He tried, but he couldn't.

Hermione bent her head to kiss him and was surprised when he plunged his hands into her rat's nest and plundered her mouth with his tongue. His mouth was wet and warm and, Christ, the man could kiss. Hermione sighed into his mouth and slowly gentled the kiss until she was backing away. "Thank you for last night. I'll see you on Friday, yeah?"

He couldn't speak so he just nodded. She didn't even know how much she was hurting him in that moment. Hermione smiled at him and kissed him once more before standing up from the bed and spinning on her heel. Severus was a second away from telling her that she couldn't apparate through his wards but then she was gone.

Drunk Severus obviously thought it would be an excellent idea to add her to his wards.

"Fuck!" He flopped down into his bed that now smelled of sex and almond shampoo and continued to curse. Of course she had thought it was just casual; she was young! But Severus had woken up with his arms full of young, supple flesh and the next thing he knew he was having sex with an energetic beautiful woman and he never wanted it to end.

His old, obsessing heart had latched onto her affection like a leech and hoped to never let go.

He thought back to the days when he would follow Lily around and carry her books. The little voice in his head reminded him that Lily never had sex with him or called him beautiful or wanted to touch his hair but he did his level best to ignore it. He had other problems; like how soon he was going to burn these sheets to ash.

* * *

"Tell me everything." Ginny sat at their usual table in a small coffee shop called Olympus and she was reading the Daily Prophet with more interest than Hermione had seen in a long while.

"About what?" the brown haired witch asked as she beckoned for a waiter to bring her whatever Ginny was having.

"About this!" Ginny shouted and waved the newspaper under Hermione's nose. Hermione sighed and took the gossip rag from her friend only to feel her blood run cold as she looked at the front page in shock.

It was her. Her and Severus; they were sitting at that table in the bar last night. Hermione watched as Severus smoothly took her glass from her hand and slid next to her to kiss her soundly. The picture clearly showed that this was their first kiss of the night as the Hermione in the picture stayed with her eyes open in shock for a second before she closed them and visibly melted against the wizard. His hair was tied back but there was no mistaking that it was Severus Snape and Hermione Granger kissing vigorously on the front page of the Prophet. She gasped and looked at the headline in shock; 'Snapped with Snape.' There were more pictures on page five apparently.

Hermione nearly fainted as she saw two more pictures of herself and Severus in varying states of arousal and drunkenness. There was an awful picture of her stumbling into his chest and reaching blindly to his face for a sloppy kiss. It was very unattractive and Hermione groaned.

"I can explain," she said in small voice as Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"Merlin's balls" Ginny exclaimed after Hermione told her everything. "So you shagged him this morning as well? How was it?"

"Amazing," Hermione said guiltily. "The best sex I've ever had considering the only other person I've been with is Ron and you remember how well that turned out!"

"Did you- you know?"

"Three times."

"Shut the front door! Snape made you come three times when he was pissed out of his mind!?" Ginny's jaw dropped in shock as she stared at Hermione.

"Well technically it was once last night and twice this morning." Hermione dropped her head into her hands and prayed to be swallowed by a hole. How was she going to explain this to Minerva? Had he seen the paper yet?

"I must admit, I'm impressed. To be fair, he was looking well last night. Oh my Merlin I completely forgot about your date with Rick!"

"Fuck my life," Hermione mumbled through her fingers. "It was just as horrible as the first except this time I only had a glass of red and got all dressed up for nothing."

"Not for nothing, Snape seemed to like it," Ginny snickered.

"Yeah, well, the meathead Auror was more interested in trying to get quidditch scores."

"There must be something you liked about him; he can't be a total idiot if Minerva hired him and you went out with him twice!"

"Only because I wanted a shag! My God that makes me sound so callous and shallow but I'm really just not looking for something serious at the moment. That's why Severus was just so perfect; it was just a one night, casual thing."

Ginny frowned in thought and gestured at the paper, "does the Professor know that though?"

"Of course he does," Hermione said quickly. She remembered when his face changed after she told him she was leaving and how desperate his kisses were after. "He does," she said again, more unsure this time, "doesn't he?"

Ginny shrugged and sipped at her tea. "I would say that if he didn't, he does now."


	2. Exposed

Hermione sipped her tea with renewed vigour as the Order members started to file into the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. Each one gave her a different look of varying degrees of disgust, fear and from Andromeda Tonks; pride.

The old woman walked over to Hermione and clasped her hand in her own. Hermione's face was a picture of shock as Andromeda exclaimed, "well done, Hermione."

"Don't encourage this!" Molly Weasley shouted from the stove.

"Why not? As far as I'm concerned any woman who distracts Severus Snape long enough for him to not notice a reporter is long overdue a handshake. We should all be taking tips from Hermione here, in my opinion." She left Hermione to sit at the other end of the table with Neville's Gran, leaving Molly staring at Hermione with a new expression of wariness and just a little bit of interest.

Hermione sat back down and started to sip her tea across from Ron who was still not talking to her. Her red headed friend couldn't get over the fact that she had slept with their old teacher and ex-Death Eater.

 _He_ wasn't here yet. She was counting down the minutes until Minerva and Severus would walk through the door and sit down in the last two remaining seats; the ones next to her. It seemed the rest of the Order was avoiding her like the plague, even Harry looked at her strangely when he thought she couldn't see him looking.

Finally the front door opened. People were talking; one male and one female voice and Hermione could hear footsteps walking towards the kitchen. They had arrived. Hermione took another gulp of too hot tea in order to look even some way normal.

"Andromeda! It's so nice to see you coming to these gatherings. How's little Teddy?" Minerva's voice rang throughout the little room and Hermione chanced a look up when she took the seat furthest away... leaving Severus to sit next to her.

"He said 'Nana' today when I was feeding him. He's such a sweet little boy."

The two women's conversation continued while the rest of the room was deathly quiet. It was obvious that everyone was thinking about the awful articles Rita Skeeter had written for the prophet that revolved around Severus and Hermione. Every day it was something different since the article came out six days ago; insinuations, suggestions, insults, people all over wizarding Britain giving their opinion on something they knew nothing about. Hermione's house was so surrounded by reporters that she had moved into number 12 on Wednesday, much to Ron's disappointment. He wanted nothing to do with her.

Snape was sitting tensely in his seat next to her and no-one around them was making conversation, apart from Minerva and Andromeda who seemed blissfully unaware of the mounting tension. Ron's ears were turning red and Hermione feared an outburst was swiftly coming along.

"Miss Granger, will you pass the tea?"

His voice penetrated her thoughts and made her jump. She noticed that everyone had now turned to them with calculating eyes.

"O-of course. Here you go, Severus." His name slipped from her lips without her thinking of it, but then again, why shouldn't she use his first name? A little voice reminded her that he had called her Miss Granger, but she pushed it from her mind. That was his choice.

"Thank you," he said stiffly and set about making his tea; black with two sugars.

"You're welcome," she said with a small smile.

The silence reigned again and the only sounds were that of Snape's teaspoon clinking against the edge of his cup as he stirred in his sugar.

"What's wrong with everyone?" Minerva's voice speared the silence with military precision, making everyone immediately, visibly uncomfortable.

"I believe most of the people in this room are speculating about Severus and Hermione's relationship," Andromeda replied helpfully.

Hermione died with embarrassment as the man next to her flinched.

"What relationship? You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!" Minerva turned to her colleague with glee shining in her eyes.

"I don't have one," Snape grinded out through gritted teeth.

"Well then, why is everyone silent? It's not any of their business in the first place." The Headmistress' tone suddenly turned sharp and severe as she glared at the people throughout. They immediately set about making conversation with themselves and soon the room was filled with noise.

Hermione chuckled despite the situation and quickly regretted it.

"You think this is funny?" he hissed at her from behind his teacup.

"What? No, I don't this is funny. Being ostracized from my entire social group is not funny at all. However, Minerva putting them all in their place is."

Severus leaned back and looked down at her. "You're friends aren't talking to you?"

If she didn't know better she would have said he was concerned. "Not all of them, just Ron. I don't think he's over… well I just don't think he's happy about what happened between us. The others are okay about it; I think."

"The two of you were… romantically involved?"

"Yes," she laughed. "That's one way of putting it."

"What happened?" He seemed genuinely interested and Hermione didn't have a problem with telling him but after a week of silence this whole exchange was odd to say the least. All she could think about was his long skilled fingers and his thin blue sheets.

"I didn't exactly enjoy being with him," she said vaguely.

"He wasn't a good _boyfriend_?" His lip had curled when he said the word boyfriend and she felt a flare of affection for the man in front of her. It was just so typical of Snape to sneer while being covertly interested in someone's love life that she thought it was rather cute.

If that made any sense at all.

"No, he was an excellent boyfriend; that wasn't the problem," she blushed.

"Then what was?"

"Well, when it came to when we were _together_ I never enjoyed it." She looked at his face and saw that he still wasn't getting it. "I never enjoyed it, like I enjoyed it with you."

Severus caught on instantly and visibly flinched. She was not prepared for how he reacted next. She was expecting him to smile in superiority at her admission that he was a better lover than Ron. She expected him to blush or smirk before saying a cutting comment about Ron's many lacking attributes.

However, she did not expect him to clench his jaw in anger and stand up, pushing out his chair from the table with an audible noise and looking down his nose at her.

Once again, all noise stopped as everyone in the room turned to look at them, but he didn't notice. He only had eyes for her and they were full of fury. The Professor breathed in deeply through his nose before sweeping away from the table in a cloud of black robes.

Hermione sat still in her seat in shock and felt every gaze settle on her like a tangible weight. It didn't take long for her to decide to go after him.

"Professor, wait!" she called after the quickly retreating black shadow down the hall.

He didn't listen and slammed the front door in her face as she rushed after him. She knew that if she didn't catch him now, then he would apparate and she would never find him.

Hermione yanked the door open with more force than necessary and let it swing shut by itself as she bounded down the steps so fast that she crashed into the man in front of her.

"Watch where you're going, stupid woman!" He stepped away from her body and made to walk out of the gate but Hermione grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait, what's wrong?"

He spun around to face her and their noses touched with the closeness between them. He was breathing heavily with barely controlled anger and she could feel each one of his furious breaths cloud in her face. "You forget yourself, Miss Granger," he snarled, "unhand me at once."

"No, Not until you grow up and stop throwing a tantrum for no reason!" The insolent words couldn't be stopped from pouring out of her mouth and the colour drained from her face as he adopted a look of pure cruelty. The Professor grabbed her by the arms, squeezing her biceps as he pushed her against a nearby wall.

"A tantrum?" he whispered menacingly.

She couldn't speak. Her mouth was so dry with terror and she simply nodded in reply. It was beyond her how he could go from being petulant or funny to being shit inducing scary. This was the Professor Snape from her childhood and he was back with a vengeance.

"Right, I'm the childish one when you use people for purely selfish gain."

His grip on her arms was becoming painful and Hermione winced in protest, but he didn't notice. His eyes were black and stormy with fury and his robes flowed around them in the November wind, along with his hair, making him seem even more intimidating.

"I don't understand why you're so upset! It was a compliment!"

"A compliment! What kind of compliment is that!?" He didn't wait for an answer, before he mimicked her in a high voice, "oh, Professor, you should be so proud of yourself that you can make me come and Ronald can't." He glared down at her and reverted back to his normal voice to say, "a true compliment, Miss Granger, thank you. I'll treasure it always."

"Must you be such a pig!?" she shouted.

"Must you be so infuriating!?" he retorted with just as much volume.

"I don't see what is bothering you! Please, Severus talk to me," she said in a quieter tone but he wasn't having any of it and placed his hands on the wall next to her head.

"Why would I talk to you about anything? You are nothing to me," he growled, but to his surprise and aggravation she smiled slyly.

"I know that's not true," she said with a confidence that she did not feel.

"And how could you possibly know that?"

"Because if I were truly nothing to you, then I wouldn't be pissing you off so much."

Severus snarled and pressed closer to her. She was right, but he was damned if he was going to tell her that. Her eyes were filled with false bravado and underneath that, fear and… anticipation, almost. His body longed to touch her again, but he couldn't allow himself to let his guard down like that again. It was bad enough the first time, Severus didn't think he could taste the sweet nectar that was Hermione Granger if it only meant watching her apparate away again in the morning; he wasn't looking for casual, he was never someone to do anything without full and utmost commitment.

He was brought back to the present when she pushed against his hips with her own. Somehow her hands had ended up twined around his neck and she was tugging him close.

He thought about backing away and stopping whatever this was before it started again. It was a short lived thought.

Their lips met with a crash that was all teeth and tongues. He was still angry and she seemed to be too, which only angered Severus further. She had no right to be angry; she was the one who left.

She moaned into his mouth as he bit down on her bottom lip and he decided that they weren't close enough.

He moved his hands from the wall to grab her ass and lift her up against his tightly buttoned robes. She wrapped her legs around his waist but one leg got caught in his teaching robes and that too became entangled with her legs on his hips. Neither of them noticed.

Her hands were in his hair now and she groaned again, grinding against him. How did they always end up against a dirty wall? He abandoned her lower lip in favour of attacking her warm mouth with his tongue and it was his turn to moan as she replied with equal fervour. Her mouth moved over his in time as they now knew what the other would do. They had spent a morning rediscovering every kiss, before she had left him.

She tasted of strong tea and apple pie and although he never particularly liked the bitter aftertaste of black tea, he had no complaints from tasting it from her.

"Alright, you lovebirds, time to break it up!" Minerva shouted from the front door of Grimmauld place as she put on her coat.

Severus tore his mouth away from Hermione's and looked in shock at Andromeda Tonks, Minerva and Molly Weasley who were standing on the front steps watching the couple.

"Hermione!" the Weasley matriarch admonished, "get back inside this instant!"

Severus felt Hermione tense round him and he didn't blame her. She was being treated like a child as she had her legs wrapped around her ex-teacher's waist and her heat pressing into his erection. Oh shit…

"Don't you dare let go of me," he hissed at her under his breath.

"What? Why?" she asked with no subtlety.

He winced as he looked at the three women now staring at them and he moved slowly, to let her feel the problem, rather than say it out loud. Her brown eyes widened and then latched onto his own for confirmation. He nodded and she blushed, which only served to frustrate him further as he was reminded of her flushed face when she reached her climax, while tangled in _his_ sheets.

"Now, Hermione!" Mrs Weasley shouted.

"Yes, Severus, I'm afraid I must agree. You know that I would let you stay and rut as long as you like, but alas we have a staff meeting to make at 10:30, which is in five minutes."

Severus cursed under his breath and slowly put Hermione down but did not let her turn away from him. "Just a minute, Minerva," he called out.

"By all means, take your time," she replied sarcastically.

"Play along," he whispered against Hermione's ear and then took her lips once more in a long, gentle kiss. She ran her hands over his chest and silently fixed his robes to fall around him as usual. Molly's gasp of indignation and outrage was overlooked by the couple on the front lawn, who had gradually deepened the kiss again.

His hands had been at her waist but as the kiss went on, he forgot where they were and he wrapped his arms around her back, gathering her close and crushing her to his chest as their mouths glided and danced.

Molly reached her limit when Hermione groaned and marched down the steps to grab her arm and pull her away from the man she was entwined with.

"No! I forbid it! Come inside, Hermione!"

The young woman sighed and stepped away from the man who had just made her feel a multitude of emotions so strong that they ranged from extreme lust to wanting to murder him with frustration.

"Goodbye, Severus," she said slightly awkwardly with Molly's hand still clenched around her arm.

"Good night, Hermione."

She turned around to smile at him for using her first name again, but he had already turned to walk out the gate with the Headmistress and Mrs Tonks. Hermione sighed once more and turned back to the enraged Mrs Weasley. She really wasn't ready to have this talk; not when she wasn't still confused as to why he was angry with her.

She wondered if he still was and recalled the way he said her name. His mouth had formed every letter like chocolate melting on fruit and she thought that perhaps he wasn't angry anymore; perhaps their kiss had calmed him down. The young woman snorted at that thought and imagined people kissing the austere Professor every time he got into a snit.

Mrs Weasley looked back at her with a stern look at the sound of her laugh and Hermione kept her head down for the rest of the walk towards the library.

Hermione sat on the couch and waited for what she was sure would be a scolding, but was surprised when the older woman simply took her hand and spoke softly.

"Hermione dear, you must understand that the Wizarding World is not like the one you're used to. We're a lot more old-fashioned and set in our ways. It's not normal for people who are of a high standing in our society to dabble in casual relationships with people who aren't, shall I say, committed to them."

"What?" Hermione's brows furrowed and her mind jumped to several different conclusions.

"One night stands are not the 'done' thing in our world, Hermione. You should stay away from Professor Snape; I don't think you understand the scandal. The both of your reputations are already after taking a hit."

"I don't understand. Is this because of those articles in the Prophet?"

Mrs Weasley sighed and took a deep breath before continuing, "Professor Snape is a master of his craft and very well recognised in our community as a man with high intelligence. Now that he has been seen and reported with a young woman, half his age who used to be his student, in not a relationship, but one night of casual scandal, his reputation has taken quite the hit. I know you like to avoid that gossip rag but the things being said about him are awful, and I hate to say it, but some of them are true. His past is filled with secrets and some of those are shameful."

"He's a big man and an ex-spy, Mrs Weasley. I think he's well-able to handle rumours."

"That's a very superficial way of looking at it. Hermione, I have to say, I was shocked when I found out about the two of you. He always seemed like a man who took great pride in his reputation with the intellectuals in our world, but now he is simply known as a lecherous old man. In situations where he usedd to be looked upon wih respect, he is now looked at with distrust and loathing once more. You saw how the Order reacted to his entrance yourself. Severus knows the workings of this world and it has to make one wonder; why would he voluntarily throw himself back onto the sword of disgust and hate again? I would have thought that he had enough of other people's hate in his life before."

Hermione bit her lip and thought back to when she had left him lying in the bed with what she assumed was a dazed look of a sated sexual appetite. But what if he wasn't gazing at her with a dazed look and a slack jaw because he was sated? What if he had wanted her to stay?

A distant memory floated to the front of her mind. It was blurred by the effects of wizarding alcohol and Hermione could not swear to its authenticity. For all she knew, it was the memory of a dream, but deep down she knew that wasn't the case. It was an image of the Professor cradling her face in both of his large calloused palms. He called her beautiful and kissed her with a gentleness that disguised his inebriation. Hermione thought back to the scene and blinked in confusion. The Professor would never have wanted her to stay. Would he?

Maybe, just maybe, she should have stayed and talked with him about what their presumed casual tryst had actually meant. The thought of a serious relationship turned her off, but maybe that was what he wanted. According to Mrs Weasley, he wasn't a one night stand sort of man.

Hermione scoffed and pushed her ludicrous thoughts away. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't imagine the man being in a committed relationship with any woman. Never mind Hermione herself, the insufferable know-it-all.

"Thank you for your advice, Molly, but I don't think the Professor is after anything more from me."

Mrs Weasley got up and smiled gently, "remember what I said about him, Hermione. I don't remember that man doing anything casually at all."

The young woman remained on the couch and smiled with a pained face as Mrs Weasley made her way towards the door.

"Oh, and Hermione?" she asked, turning around suddenly.

"Yes?"

"If you really did want to make a go if it with Severus, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised."

Hermione didn't have time to correct the Weasley matriarch and tell her that, no she wasn't interested in seeing Severus, before the older woman had waltzed out of the door leaving Hermione with a startled expression and a lot to think about.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" McGonagall asked with a smirk as they walked up the main path towards the school.

"No," Severus answered briskly.

"I could guess or ask Hermione."

Severus stopped walking to open the Main Door for the older woman and tried to ignore her prattling. His erection wasn't as prominent as it was before when Hermione was in his arms, but it was definitely still there and causing his thoughts to stray. The feeling of her legs wrapped around his waist and the smell of her shampoo permeated his mind, blocking out Minerva's crude comments on the scene she had walked in on.

He had gone months, even years, without sex for so long, and now here he was, craving Hermione Granger's body like a fourteen year old boy.

"I must say; I have absolute intolerance for that newspaper's reporters but their photographers are certainly dedicated to risk being seen by the great Severus Snape!" Minerva laughed as they approached the staffroom.

Severus groaned and mentally kicked himself. Again. If there was anything that was quick to get rid of an erection, it was self-hatred. How did he not see that reporter? How could he have missed the flash?! It was a disgrace that two of the most famous war heroes in the wizarding world had been snuck up upon by the most detestable newspaper known to wizard.

It was even more shameful that the whole world now knew of his shame. Severus couldn't remember the last time there had been a one night stand between two high profile people. Casual sex just wasn't the done thing anymore and now everyone knew how she had left him. Of course, they all assumed he had left her and after the Ronald Weasley fiasco the entire community was spouting support for the 'abandoned' Hermione Granger, who apparently just can't catch a break when it comes to love. Idiots.

"Come on, Severus, I promise to keep it short."

Snape blinked and followed Minerva into the staffroom, making his way to his usual chair in the back of the room. It was an armchair that was wedged between the corner widow and the fireplace; it was so far away from all the other chairs that Severus believed the staff sometimes forgot he was even there. Which suited him perfectly.

He kept his head down and avoided eye contact with every teacher in the room. The year before had never left their minds and he doubted it ever would. Minerva, Filius and Pomona were the only ones who had welcomed him back; the others had resolutely ignored him. He didn't blame them; it wasn't their fault he was forced to be an asshole to little kids and a tyrant to the teachers themselves.

As Severus approached his well-loved chair, he noticed that there was someone sitting in it. A very beautiful, long legged someone who was currently delicately sipping on a small glass of white wine. It was the new Muggle Studies Professor, but Severus had never been a position of conversation with her before. She had noticed him walking towards her and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes?" she asked in a way that instantly reminded him of the pure-blooded tarts in Slytherin, who had looked down upon his second hand clothes and greasy hair with derision and mockery.

He was momentarily taken aback and no doubt gawking at this red headed beauty who was sitting in his chair. It wasn't the fact that she was beautiful; it was the fact that she was sitting in his chair, drinking wine and looking at him like he was dog shit.

She laughed and looked to her left where a tall handsome man stood in front of the fire. The Defence Professor. He was also looking at Severus like he was dog shit and joined her in laughter.

Snape turned back to the woman and gave her a small smile which resulted in her evident confusion and he took a step forward. She maintained eye contact with the austere Professor, apparently forgetting her male companion next to her as Snape advanced on her until his legs were touching hers against the seat and her neck was craned upwards to see him. He briefly noted that her eyes were blue.

"Yes?" she asked again; quieter this time.

He said nothing and continued to give her a small smile before slowly reaching out and taking the wine glass from her hands and passing it to the man next to him. It was almost too easy. Maintained eye contact leading to a suggestive thought of lust through legilimency, continued contact through increasing their physical proximity and a heavy helping of mental sexual arousal all lead to the same thing; dulling her senses.

The Professor bent at the waist and heard her gasp as her bright blue eyes flew to his lips which were now a mere 15cm away from her own. Another mental caress made her pupils dilate and Severus nearly laughed. Sometimes, legilimency saved one's life and sometimes, it was just handy to have.

He opened his mouth slowly and softly spoke in his deep, chocolate covered voice; "get out of my fucking chair."

The spell that he had weaved upon her broke immediately and he smiled at her cruelly as she blushed a violent red and gaped at him like a fish. The man next to them took a step forward but Snape paid him no mind.

"Now," he said in a cold and calculating voice that made the woman in front of him jump in fright.

He lurched back away from her as she stood from his armchair and walked over to the DADA Professor. Snape ignored her and made a show of casting a cleansing charm before sitting down and realising that the whole staffroom was watching him.

If he had embarrassed two new Professors like that before the war, his fellow teachers would have smiled in shared amusement. However, it was after the war and his colleagues were looking at him like he was worth far less than dog shit and suddenly, for the first time, he couldn't take it.

Yes, he killed Albus. Yes, he watched Charity die. Yes, he consented to the torture of eleven year old children and yes, he had a one night stand with a former pupil a week ago, but he was so fucking sorry and filled with enough self-hatred that this felt like too much. He had bled for them, while they actively tried to get him killed. He had distracted the Carrows, saving more than one student's life. He had given anonymus tips and fed the Dark Lord false leads. He had done Albus' will, without question and without fail, making sure that Charity's death would mean something; in the end.

Suddenly their accusing stares and their inability to forgive and forget plagued him. He might have been able to deal with it on any other night, but not when he was just wrapped up in Miss Granger as she was sighing his name. Not when he was being readily accepted by someone twenty minutes ago. He couldn't do it.

With a defeated face and an apologetic glance at Minerva, he got up from his chair and walked out of the staffroom.

He never noticed the new DADA Professor follow him with hate in his eyes.

* * *

Hermione sighed and turned on the kettle at four o'clock in the morning. She was supposed to be meeting with a charms lecturer in four hours, but she couldn't sleep. It wasn't nightmares; strangely enough those didn't plague her as much as they probably should, considering all that she had been through. No, surprisingly she couldn't stop thinking about Severus Snape and her abrupt departure from his house, and the way he said her name, and the fact that he might have wanted her to stay. She also briefly thought of Ron's persistence in ignoring her; but the thought was very brief.

The kettle clicked and she went about making her tea as she continued to think about tall, dark and greasy. She cringed at the childish name and recalled the way her hands had run through his hair; it really was very fine and straight and surprisingly soft.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang against the front door and she sacrificed her cup to fall against the kitchen floor in order to take out her wand. Another bang sounded and Hermione made her way into the hall, hugging close to the wall and advancing with her wand out. A quick homonium revelio told her that there was only one presence on the other side of the door.

The door handle turned slowly and Hermione was prepared for the intruder to step in, but instead a large black bundle fell into the doorway with a thud and Hermione screamed.

"Professor!?"


	3. A Helping Hand

**Five Hours Earlier, Hogwarts Castle.**

Severus walked along the corridor while his mind wandered relentlessly. Did she not care about his reputation or her own social standing at all? He scoffed and thought back to her pleading for him to talk to her, as if she didn't already know what was wrong with their situation.

How could he have kissed her when he was so angry? How could she return said kiss?! It was maddening! He let himself get distracted and mesmerised by her soft hair and supple body and gentle eyes. He coughed in the silent hallway and adjusted his robes once more. He needed to stop thinking about her. Miss Granger wanted a fling and he had much more pressing issues on his mind to be occupied with.

There was no warning of the attack, simply immense pain that crippled his right leg and the stone floor rushing up to meet him.

Severus groaned and tried to reach for his wand, but another attack came again and suddenly he could not move.

"Well, Professor Snape, I do believe you are in a precarious position."

Severus was levitated off the ground and rolled over in mid-air before slamming back onto the hard concrete and facing his attacker. The new DADA Professor was standing in front of him with a deranged and slightly, unhinged look. What was his name again? Donald? Davidson? Donovan?

That was it, Rick Donovan, an ex-auror.

"You're probably wondering why you're in such a position."

Severus glared up at the man standing over him and took stock of the situation. All teachers were currently in the staffroom, three floors and five corridors away. All students should be in their dorms as Prefect patrols would be long over by now. Donovan stood with confidence but shook with anger and his wand hand was jumpy, sending occasional sparks through the tip of his wand.

"You think you're so wonderful, sauntering around our world like you own it, simply because Harry Potter believes your lies."

Severus mentally ran his second name through all possible connections with Death Eaters. He knew that Yaxley's wife had a second cousin who married a Donovan, but the connection seemed too stretched.

"What gives you the right to take whatever you want?"

This guy was insane. Severus tried to think of anything that he did lately which could even remotely piss someone off, but nothing came to his mind, he was a teacher now for Merlin's sake. His spying days were over. The only thing about him in the news currently was…

"You ruin her life and reputation and then leave her! Well, she wasn't yours to take and leave!"

This was about _Granger_? For fuck's sake. Severus wanted to laugh and cry in that moment. Two wars and two Masters later and yet here he was, injured on the floor, for a girl. Again.

"Did you poison her? Give her a drug and make her believe anything you wanted?"

Severus could feel the bonds holding him place loosening as the man in front of him became angrier by the second. Suddenly, he could see the sole of a boot coming towards his face and all he could think was; why do they always go for the nose?

Pain erupted and spread throughout his body as Donovan continued to slam his foot down on Snape again and again, each time with an increased amount of force. With each blow, Snape could feel a different part of his body being bruised, battered or broken; a finger here, a rib there, a split lip just to shake things up. Just as quickly as it started, the assault stopped, and through the red clouding his vision, Severus could see that the man had knelt next to his body.

He also noticed that he could now move his fingers, which meant that the body-bind was weakening.

"Or did she go willingly?" Donovan's eyes gleamed bloodshot in the dark corridor and Severus smelt alcohol on his breath. "Did she smile at you and fuck you like the stupid, whore, bitch that she really is?"

Heat flared in Severus' chest and anger spread through his veins, boosting his magic, he felt it flow through him like a dark wave about to cascade down and drown anyone in its path. He felt it surge and break his invisible bonds before attacking the man in front of him.

"You both deserve each oth- Aahh"

The young man's face crippled in pain and his hands clutched his skull, dropping his wand in the process. He groaned and screamed as all the blood in his body seemed to press against him under high pressure and suddenly, he was the one against the hard floor. Donovan collapsed into the pool of Snape's blood and he took no notice of the man that he was previously torturing, now leaning against the wall, standing above him.

"Come now," Severus said lightly while extracting his wand from his sleeve, "we're just getting started!"

A flick of his wrist had the ex-auror thrown into the side of the castle but his right leg gave out before he could curse him again. What did the little prick do to it? Severus grunted and hauled himself up to lean against the wall once more. What was he going to do? He couldn't exactly apparate to his rooms. There was a window ledge to his left and they were just two floors up from the earth below.

Donovan groaned and slumped onto the floor behind the Potions Master. _Pathetic._

It didn't take much for Snape to hobble over to the window sill, nor to throw himself out of Hogwarts and; using the only gift the Dark Lord had ever given him, fly past the wards.

Minerva McGonagall could feel a shift in the wards and signals of distress coming from the castle itself, but nothing specific, which was odd. She rounded the corridor and saw her Defence Professor knocked out on the ground and surrounded by blood. She stepped forward just as the wards let her know that Severus had left Hogwarts.

A sense of panic and distrust came upon her and suddenly she was standing in the hospital wing, learning of Albus' murder. No, she said to herself, Severus would not do this unprovoked. The doubt formed a lump in her throat and she shakily walked towards the pool of blood in the middle of the floor that was seeping into the stone.

Her wand shook as she cast the diagnostic charm and she could not tell if it was immense relief or worry that settled in her stomach, when she discovered that the Professor in front of her had no open wounds.

* * *

Severus cursed himself again for somehow finding a way to be on the floor at someone's feet for the second time that night. The chit was standing frozen above him in a defensive stance with her wand out and the fighter inside of him berated her for not hexing first and asking questions later. Why did he even come here instead of alerting Minerva immediately?

"Professor Snape?" She was incredulous and no doubt disbelieving that he was here, but yes, it was him. He noticed that she addressed him by his title but let it go in favour of groaning in a somewhat positive manner.

"Oh my God," she whispered and dropped to her knees while casting a diagnostic charm. He briefly wondered what kind of muggle religion she practiced, but then every bone, muscle and tendon seemed to jump in his leg and he whimpered. The pain was similar to the Cruciatus but instead of all over, it focused on one particular limb.

"I'm sorry, I had to do that," she said quietly while levitating him through the library doors and setting him on the dusty, old couch.

"Why are you so cold?" she asked while casting multiple charms so fast that he barely had time to register the wand movements.

"Flying through the Scottish Highlands in November at high altitude has a tendency to leech the warmth from one's bones," he replied, but his voice was distorted and nasally, the sarcasm not affecting her at all. He thought it probably had something to do with his partially healed nose.

She nodded and conjured a soft cloth and a steaming basin. "Does Minerva know you left?"

Severus grimaced and shook his head in the negative, wincing at the light as she conjured her patronus to send to Hogwarts. He looked at her and wondered what he was doing here once more.

"You flew all the way here, instead of apparating?" she asked as she wet the cloth.

He nodded his head and again cursed himself for his stupidity, he wasted time and blood by flying to London, but he needed to think and calm down. It had been months since his last fight and the attack had put him in a dangerous mindset. The cold air whiping his face had allowed him to lower his occlumency shields that had erected themselves without his consent.

Hermione winced and lightly dabbed his forehead with a warm cloth, cleaning away the excess blood. "Did you get a good look at whoever attacked you?" she asked while continuing to address his wounds.

"Yes."

Hermione sighed and stopped her administrations. "Severus, how am I supposed to help you if you won't let me?"

"It's nothing I can't handle," he muttered while taking the cloth out of her hand, continuing to clean the blood himself.

"Oh, yes I can see that you handled that perfectly," she said sarcastically and turned towards his leg which was slowly healing itself with the aid of the multiple healing spells she produced.

Her face softened and she turned towards him. "Are you alright?"

Snape grunted at first but then looked at her and slowly lowered the cloth from his swollen face. "I will be," he nodded. "Thank you, Hermione."

"It's fine," she said as she unconsciously placed her hand on top of his. The intense pain of his leg knitting itself back together was finally ebbing away. However, now he could also feel his bruised organs, broken bones and split skin mending and a different kind of pain flooded his consciousness. "How did all of this happen to you?" she asked firmly.

"I was caught unaware with a lucky shot and from then on, I didn't stand a chance." He sighed again and took his hand away from her grasp, looking away quickly. "You don't have to stay with me," he said quietly, "it's about time you were asleep."

"I wasn't sleeping before you came in. How am I supposed to sleep now?" Hermione stood up, cautiously eyeing his bruised face and cut lip. His face suddenly winced again and a tremor ran through his body. "Come on, let's get you somewhere comfortable." There wasn't a chance that she could heal the cuts on his face if he was shivering that much.

Snape opened his mouth to protest but quickly shut it again as she took his hand and dragged him from the sofa. "Are you alright to walk on your own?"

He swallowed his questions of where they were going and nodded. "Let's find out." He slowly took a step forward but his leg buckled as soon as a little pressure was applied and he barely restrained himself from letting a moan slip through his lips. The pain was immense. He had forgotten the type of pain that came with a deep wound. Suddenly, a dainty pair of hands slipped around his waist and he leaned into the warmth that was standing to his left.

"Don't worry, we'll do it together," Hermione lightly clenched his hip and urged him forward. She would be able to heal his face if he was asleep in a bed and no longer shivering.

The process of bringing him upstairs was taking longer than she thought it would and Hermione could see that the walk was wearing him out. They stopped again and Severus slumped against the banister. He wondered why she was looking after him when she obviously didn't want anything to do with him after she left. However that also begged the question of why he went to Grimmauld in the first place. Why didn't he just send a patronus to Minerva? He thought back to Donovan's comments about Hermione and he instantly knew the answer. He wanted to protect her. Who knew who else had a grudge against them? He wanted to protect the beautiful Gryffindor witch who used him and left him. Oh Fate, thou art a fickle bitch.

Hermione rubbed her thumb over his hip and he proceeded forward. They had come to the second floor and he was about to turn onto the next flight of stairs to the empty rooms in the floor above when she took his hand and slowly led him to the first door on their left. His eyes widened as she bit her lip and lowered her eye lashes. She was nervous.

As the door opened he could just about see a large bed against the far wall and he wondered if this was her room but he quickly dismissed the notion. Why would she welcome him into her private space when she didn't even want to have breakfast with him?

"Come on, let's get you settled," she ushered him into the bed and set about helping him to undress as he sat on the edge of the bed. He ignored the way she was babying him and settled for frowning at her. He was too tired at the moment to deal with Hermione Granger. His face was sore and his leg was painful, all he wanted to do was to go to sleep. The sheets beneath him were thick and soft, unlike his own thin and rough sheets that had more than likely irritated her skin.

Before he could protest, he was clad in only his boxer shorts and lying down under the sheets, with her hovering over him. "Just go to sleep now, Severus," she whispered softly, "I'll wake you in the morning."

He looked into her whiskey coloured eyes and wished he could drink them. He could have used a drink around then. Why was she doing this? His tongue felt like large sandpaper in his mouth and he didn't want to speak even if he was able to, but she seemed to waiting for a reply. Severus closed his eyes and took in long, heavy breaths as she waved her wand over his face. It wasn't a challenge, keeping his reaction to the pain of the healing process hidden from her. He had spent the whole of his adult life hiding his pain.

She fixed his nose properly first and then cleaned the blood from his face before starting on his bruises. He estimated that they were about ten minutes into it before she started humming. He wondered if she even knew what she doing. Did she realise how much she was affecting him? Probably not.

How did this happen? How in the name of Merlin did one night cause so many repurcussions?

It was another fifteen minutes before Severus Snape fell asleep while Hermione Granger sat above him, discovering that the bruises under his eyes, were not actually bruises at all.

* * *

Hermione woke up with an awful crick in her neck to the sound of rustling clothes and grunting. She opened her eyes to see Snape sitting up in her bed and wandlessly mending his torn, bloody clothing. She wished she could say that she was only worried for his welfare and not at all concerned with the bare muscled chest before her, but that would be a lie.

"Good morning."

His voice was gravelly and coarse so she summoned a glass form her bedside table and filled it using Aguamenti before handing it to him. He nodded his thanks and drained it in one go.

"I think I have an old t-shirt of my dad's somewhere if you want to wear that and we can go downstairs to have a cup of tea."

"So you want me to stay this morning?"

Something in his voice was harsh and sarcastic, letting Hermione know that he was still angry. She was sick of it. Why was everyone judging her and feeling angry when it was her life splattered all over the Prophet? She couldn't understand his resons for being so petulant and childish. Maybe he didn't want anything to change between them, simpy because they sept together, but it made no sense. Why would he fly from Scotland to be healed by her in London?

She said nothing as she got up and fished the old t-shirt from one of her drawers before slamming it shut. "When you decide to stop being a prick, I'll be downstairs," she said as she threw it at him and stormed out of the room ignoring his angry shouts from inside her bedroom.

She stomped down the stairs and made as much noise as she could in the kitchen while making tea. It was half seven on a Saturday morning and she was tired, grumpy, annoyed and if she was honest with herself, a little horny. It felt good to stand up to him like that and call the legendary Professor Snape a prick to his face. The kettle clicked as Severus stormed into the tiny kitchen with an old Metallica t-shirt, unbuttoned black pants and no socks or shoes on.

"You left me!" he shouted loudly.

Hermione whirled around to face him, the tea forgotten.

"You upped and left without so much as a 'call me' and somehow, once more, I'm the villain! You have no idea how it feels to work with people who look at you like you're a pervert and a traitor! I'm the one they all hate again, simply because I had sex with a younger, more beautiful woman and it was casual!"

"I know it was casual! Why are you getting so upset now?" Hermione stepped towards him, more confused than ever and he lunged towards her, fury etched into his face.

"I am Severus Snape, Miss Granger! When have you known me to ever do something casually? I have never had a one night stand in my life and, believe it or not, I wasn't intending to ever have one either! How can you be so dense?"

"Wait, so -"

"Professor Snape? What are you doing here?"

Harry stood in the doorway watching the Professor clutching Hermione's arms and shouting in her face. Severus stood back quickly and glared at her best friend.

"Don't worry, Mr Potter, I was just leaving," he said with a cruel twist of his lips and strode from the kitchen without returning to Hermione's room for his clothes.

Hermione closed her eyes and flinched when the front door slammed shut with a vengeance.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?"

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she looked straight into the blue eyes of her best friend. "Ron?! Hi! You're never up this early."

"I wanted to apologise but obviously you don't care all too much about not speaking to me if the greasy git had a sleepover," he said darkly and bounded out of the kitchen, heading straight up the stairs.

Hermione screamed in frustration and the mugs on the counter behind her splintered into pieces.

"I'll just, um, yeah," Harry said quickly as he too, followed Ron and escaped her presence.

She hastily fixed the broken mugs and tried not to cry with frustration. How was it that Molly Weasley understood Severus Snape and Hermione couldn't even have tea with him?

A quick glance at the clock made her aware that it was quarter to eight and she ran out of the kitchen to get dressed. She was going to be late.

* * *

Bobby Cross walked down the temporary, wooden staircase of Hogwarts at precisely ten to eight on Saturday morning, listening to his shoes creak on the wooden steps. Bobby loved Saturdays; seven times out of ten, the school was quiet and he was able to walk freely out of the dungeons and up to the Prefect's bathroom before the first teacher even opened their eyes.

He was a second year Slytherin, technically supposed to be in third year but everyone was held back a year after what happened in May. He supposed it was a good idea; after all, he couldn't even sleep properly after what happened in May. Two days into the start of term, he was called into his Head of House's office and told to sit down on a couch, which he knew, was not there when he was a first year.

"I know you've been having trouble sleeping, Bobby. I want you to know that you can come to me if you need anything or want to talk."

That was what he said, Professor Snape had called him 'Bobby' and told him that he knew. It helped, someone knowing and it helped being able to get up much earlier than the rest of his housemates. Bobby still couldn't decide if he saw the parchment with the password to the Prefect's bathrooms with Professor Snape's knowledge or not, but he presumed that the Potion's Master was aware.

He was on the second last step from the staircase and clutched the banister, preparing to jump off into the Entrance Hall, when the huge doors opened and Bobby froze.

Professor Snape wandlessly slammed the great doors and muttered under his breath with a face that would even frighten the Headmistress. He stormed right past the staircase with Bobby on the second last step and walked down the steps that led into the dungeons.

Bobby waited for fifteen whole minutes with his heart beating wildly in his chest, before carefully stepping down the stairs and walking into the Great Hall with a broad grin on his face. Who knew Professor Snape listened to Metallica?

Bobby looked around the not-so-Great Hall and looked at the walls next to the doors with the names of all the students and loved ones that died in the Battle of Hogwarts. The charms that mimicked the sky for the cieling had failed long ago and now one could see the large, cracked beams above them. Bobby walked up to the section of the wall holding the names of fourth year students and placed his hand over the only muggle piece of paper that was decorated with markers.

"You wouldn't believe what I just saw, Davey," he whispered with a small smile and thought back to his Head of House's state of dress this morning. The young boy turned around and walked towards the Slytherin table, ignoring the large gaps in the wall that still had not been repaired.

Bobby sat down in his usual spot and the smile grew again, usually when he walked into the Great Hall, he was overcome with sadness at every reminder of all they had lost in the war, but today not even the holes in the wall could prevent his grin. Who knew Professor Snape had slightly hairy feet?

* * *

Severus walked out of his rooms and headed straight to the hospital wing dressed in his usual black robes and dragon hide boots, it was a miracle no-one saw him walk back into the castle this morning.

He strode into the hospital wing and felt something akin to a cleansing charm rush over his skin. Minerva, Filius and Poppy were all waiting for him and standing around Donovan's bedside. "So glad you could join us, Severus."

"I aim to please, Headmistress," he replied while sauntering over to the DADA Professor's bed and seeing that he was still knocked out. "What's wrong with him?"

"I asked Poppy to keep him asleep, until you returned."

Severus turned to face his colleagues and saw hurt written on their faces; it was time to explain himself. "I greatly appreciate that, Minerva, truly." There was no response and he realised how much she was affected when her face remained stony.

"I left the meeting early and went on a patrol around the castle, I was distracted and never saw him coming. He cast something on my leg, I still don't know what the curse was, but I know it hurt. We fought, I was injured, he lost, I left."

"Why did you leave, Severus? You realise how this looks, don't you?" Minerva stepped towards him and he felt guilt creep up his throat and wrap around him like an old friend. Poppy cast a diagnostic on his leg and examined the runes floating in front of her face.

"Minerva, I don't know why, I just," he coughed and looked away from her, knowing she would accept nothing less than the truth. "He was talking about me, at first, about how I act like I own the Wizarding World." Severus turned and looked at the man lying in the bed beside them. "Then he started talking about Miss Granger and something," he clenched his fists and glared at the patient, "something snapped."

He turned back to face them and looked Minerva in the eye, "I needed to make sure she was okay, but don't ask me why because I don't know."

"Don't you?" Poppy asked sarcastically and he glared at her before crossing his arms.

"He's telling the truth, Minerva, the charm would have sounded." Flitwick's voice was even and fair.

Severus looked towards the door and remembered the cold feeling that ran over his body before he entered the room. "Ah," he said, "I wondered what that was." He couldn't blame them for making sure, but something inside still hurt at the prospect of his colleagues turning against him again.

"I believe you, Severus. Now, it's almost time for lunch. Will you walk me to the Great Hall?"

The Headmistress didn't wait for his answer before striding towards the door and opening it for him to walk out first. She then closed it firmly, making it clear that this was to be a private conversation.

"I will need your memories of last night before the end of today for the Aurors."

"Aurors?"

"Yes, there was a physical assault on one of my staff members. I feel that merits a call to the officials, don't you?"

Severus nodded and thought back to all the times before Minerva's reign when these things were swept under the carpet and no-one but Albus was notified.

"I want to do things differently, Severus. I want things to be done properly, fairly. So many situations weren't handled as such in the past." They walked down the makeshift wooden staircase that had replaced the battered stones and broken cobble of all that was left of the original. It always reminded Severus that although the war was over, there was still much to be done.

"I agree wholeheartedly, Minerva, and I apologise for the trouble I caused by leaving."

"That's quite alright, although, the next time you wish to fight for her honour you might strive to leave him with more than a headache and one broken rib."

Severus said nothing and thought about his fight with Hermione this morning, he needed to stop seeing her, she didn't want him and now, he must move on. It wasn't healthy for his sanity to be succumbing to his desires every time he saw her. What happened after the Order meeting last night could never happen again.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that again," he said with a sigh as they turned into the Great Hall which was filled with noise.

"Good, because you'll be seeing her a lot more often from here on out," Minerva said while directing a glare towards the Slytherin table where every student was currently gaping at the Professor next to her for some reason.

"What? Why?"

Minerva stopped walking and turned to face him, "I wanted you to be the first to know; I plan on hiring her after Christmas, to help with the fund raising for the renovations."

"WHAT?" His voice echoed throughout the Hall and now nearly every student was glancing their way. "We don't need her help," he whispered harshly as Minerva urged him to walk on.

"Why, Severus, you're looking as if you almost care."

"I don't care and neither should you. It's bad enough that you hired that fool and the cocky bint but now you want to bring _her_ back."

They sat down in the middle of the table and Severus turned to continue their conversation while the Great Hall doors opened again.

"I thought you'd be happy to see more of Hermione after what I saw last night," Minerva looked up and smiled at the person who had just walked into the Hall, but Severus was incensed and reached for his glass before replying.

"Last night was a mistake, last Friday night was also a mistake; mistakes that I will not be repeating ever again so please, for the love of Merlin, hire someone else. I know the Ministry didn't give us a lot but we do not need Granger. If I have to look at that irritating, bothersome, insufferable little-"

"Hello Severus."

"Shit!" Severus' hand spasmed and lost the grip he had around the glass as he heard the bane of his existence speak behind him. The water spilled over his chest, into his lap and his expletive was loud enough to attract the attention of everyone in the Hall.

"Oh, let me help you with that," Hermione said smoothly as she slotted into the empty chair beside him and conjured napkins with her wand.

He gaped at her as she touched his shoulder and started to pat him dry. Minerva's chuckling brought him out of the shock and he caught her hand in an iron grip which tightened as he noticed her cocky smile.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"Helping," she retorted casually and continued to touch his body with her hands.

"Remove yourself from my person, immediately."

"Make me."

Severus glared into her face realised that she might be just as stubborn as himself, if not more so, which was something he could use as an advantage.

"Fine," he said lightly and released his grip on her hands, leaning back into his chair, "continue," he said with a lazy smile and a suggestive glance towards his sopping crotch.

Hermione rose her eyebrows and glanced towards the student body which was currently gaping at the High table like it was their favourite television programme. Severus smirked again and knew that she wouldn't accept his challenge.

"Well," Hermione said and leaned towards him, placing her lips against his ear and causing a shiver to go down his spine. "Seeing as you don't do casual, I'm afraid this is going no further until we have a proper chat," her voice whispered along his skin and her lips pressed against his cheek like a butterfly's wing; soft and light but caressing just the same.

"A chat?" he asked stupidly.

"Yes," she said simply and turned back to her meal while casting a silent drying charm on his clothes. "So, Minerva, how are the renovations coming along?"

"Well, Hermione, I actually wanted to talk to you about just that…"

Minerva's voice trailed off and Severus looked straight ahead as the two women leaned across him discussing all the awful plans for a new Hogwarts and all he could think about was his ex-pupil's lips. He shook his head and cursed. He needed to get a grip.

* * *

A/N: I would like to say thank you so much to all the follows, favourites and reviews that people have left this story, even a one worded comment means a lot to me, so thank you very much for the feedback, it is appreciated!

Disclaimer: I can't believe I kept forgetting to put this in! I do not own anything of the Harry Potter universe, unfortunately.


	4. Give Me Love

A/N: I apologise for the very late update, but I wrote an extra long chapter for you guys to make up for it. You should probably go back and refresh the last chapter in your minds. I'm starting a new year of college so these next couple of weeks will be hectic for me. Enjoy xx

* * *

Headmistress' Office, Hogwarts.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Hermione, I know that right now you're extremely busy with your NEWTS revision." The Headmistress sighed as she sat down behind the large, oak desk in her office and summoned a scroll from one of the shelves behind Hermione. There wasn't much difference to the office apart from the lack of books and trinkets. Wooden crates were scattered around the floor and it occurred to Hermione that McGonagall was simply too busy to even move into her office yet, and she felt a pang of sympathy for the older woman.

"It's quite alright. I want to help in any way I can," she replied as she took the scroll from Minerva and unravelled it. "It says here that there are ten members on this committee, is that correct?"

"Yes, although, that is just my rough draft and I haven't notified any of those people of my plan. Are you sure that you can take on this problem?"

"Of course, Minerva, it's the least I can do. I was shocked when I walked in and saw the damage that remained from the battle. I would have thought that everything would be repaired by now," Hermione said as she continued to read the scroll of possible candidates and solutions for raising money in order to fix the broken castle.

"I know," McGonagall sighed, "it's a disgrace that the Ministry's galleons have gone towards the re-building of Diagon Alley and the Ministry itself rather than our school. Do you know what Kinsley said to me? He said; 'I'm sorry Minerva, but we had to prioritise.' Prioritise! Can you imagine?! How can shopping and fancy monuments be a priority over the lives of our young children? Our fallen would cringe and turn in their graves to know that precious galleons were being spent on statues and memorials while there are witches and wizards starving on the streets of London without a home!"

Hermione put down the scroll and looked at her old Professor. She could see the anguish and desperation on her mentor's face and felt more than sympathy. She felt a sense of duty and a familiar fire within her that ignited whenever she found a new cause. "Don't worry, Minerva. I'm here now and with these people and their connections, we will be able to create quite the storm in the media. I already have a few fund raising ideas." She reached across the large desk and patted the older woman's hand. "It's alright; I'll take care of everything."

McGonagall nodded and squeezed her hand in response before getting up and sorting through a pile of mail, leaving Hermione to look over the scroll once more. According to this, the Professors had attempted to raise money already but the ideas for doing such were not very creative. They had sent letters to the Board of Management and wealthy wizarding families around Britain asking for donations. However, the responses were not very positive.

Most families with wealth were pureblood, and as a result, felt a sense of betrayal from the rest of wizarding population. Families with even a hint of a tie to Voldemort had had their assets frozen and confiscated at the end of the war by the Ministry. It seemed that the government officials didn't realise that many of the Purebloods had no choice but to donate to the cause of the Death Eaters, and now many of them were bitter and reluctant in handing over more money.

"Professor, there's no mention of charity events in here. I was wondering what you have tried already."

"Charity events?" McGonagall asked absentmindedly as her eyes remained glued to a letter in her hand.

"Yes, you know, to raise money?" Hermione's brow furrowed and it suddenly hit her that she was talking to a witch very ingrained with Wizarding society. The concept of charity was something that Hermione had never come across in this world and supposed that it was not something they were very familiar with.

"I don't understand, my dear, but I trust that you will do what's best, as chairperson of this committee. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a tedious floo call to make to the Board. I trust you can show yourself out."

"Of course, Minerva and thank you." Hermione walked down the stone steps, past the gargoyle and thought about the many ideas for fund raising that she knew about from the Muggle world. It would be difficult to put them all into action, but first things first; she had to add members to her team. Minerva had made an excellent list of the Head of Houses, Fleur, George and a few others who Hermione hadn't seen in a very long time.

She had to talk to Filius as soon as possible, but the thought of that conversation made Hermione's stomach lurch violently. A sly grin blossomed across her lips as she walked through Hogwarts. Who better to start with than the Potion's Master himself?

The wooden staircase was surprising and out of place. It made Hogwarts feel almost strange, as if something was missing and Hermione was struck by the necessity of this committee. An image of her muggle Primary school holding a bake sale for children with Autism flashed to the forefront of her mind but Hermione scoffed at the idea. The thought of her old Professors baking and selling queen cakes to firsties was simply too outlandish.

The dungeons were practically untouched by the destruction that was present in the rest of the school and Hermione was transported back to two years ago when she was flanked by Harry and Ron on their way to Potions class. The damp smell and dark coloured stones were exactly the same, but she noticed that there was a lot more light in the passage way than there was before.

The Potions classroom door was closed shut, but she could hear clanging noises and smell something slightly herb-like in the air. He could be supervising a detention or with someone else in the room. However, something told her that he was alone and that was all the incentive Hermione needed to push open the door and walk inside.

The herby smell was even stronger inside her old classroom and she realised that it was also slightly minty. She could see three cauldrons bubbling on the large student desks near the front and the man himself was standing over them in his white shirt with his hair pulled back.

She could see his shoulders tense as she opened and closed the door, but he never turned around, simply continued to stir the potions in front of him.

"Hey," she said softly and walked forwards but stopped just sort of reaching him. 'This is ridiculous,' she said to herself, 'just talk to him.' Hermione took a deep breath and walked around the desk in order to see his face.

He was working on the desk behind the one she used to sit at during her own Potions class. She sat backwards in her usual chair as he continued to cut, stir and crush the many ingredients in front of him. It was mesmerizing. She watched his hands glide and tense and manipulate the liquid in front of him like a dance. She was so entranced that she forgot that he still hadn't spoken. A few minutes later, he abruptly stopped his actions and set the cauldron to simmer.

"Why are you here, Miss Granger?"

His voice was low and almost fed up. She was taken aback by how un-Professor Snape he looked, despite the fact that they were literally sitting in his domain. She looked at his face and saw the harsh frown lines around his thin mouth. Surprisingly, she didn't think of all the times he had used that very mouth to berate and humiliate her. No, for some sick, unknown reason, as they were in his classroom where a mere two years ago she had sat herself, she thought of his mouth on her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out without thinking and then rushed on to explain herself. "I'm sorry I left before we had a chance to talk and that I assumed it would be simply casual between us. I just…" she paused and looked around the room as so many memories collided in her head. If she looked into his eyes, she remembered the taste of his mouth and if she looked around her she remembered his mocking taunts directed at her homework. It was an impossible situation. "I just never thought we would be in that position. Not once had I imagined that you and I would-"

"I can assure you that I do not need to hear how horrified you are now that you have slept with the dungeon bat," he spat cruelly.

"No! It's not like that!" Hermione took a deep breath before continuing on. "I don't regret what happened between us," he looked up and met her eyes as she bit her lip, "not at all. I just didn't anticipate it. Severus you have to admit that this thing between us could not have been predicted."

Hermione waited for him to say something; anything, but he simply hung his head and stirred each cauldron, waiting for her to go on.

"I don't regret that night, but something tells me that you do. Whenever you look at me, it's with anger, lust or an expressionless face and I don't know what you're thinking. You tell me that you didn't want me to leave and that you don't desire anything that may happen between us to be casual, but you say this all while shouting at me and storm out immediately after. You still call me by my second name, for God's sake! I don't understand what you want."

"I don't want anything from you, Miss Granger, just leave."

Hermione bristled and stood up from the stool she was sitting on. Why did he insist on burying every feeling and thought?

"Well that's something I can't deliver I'm afraid, Severus. I've just accepted the position of Chairwoman on a Hogwarts committee and unfortunately, we'll be seeing much more of each other from now on."

"Just because you shall be in my line of vision does not mean that we are compelled to converse or interact," he said briskly, turning towards the cauldron on his far left and adding a few leaves that Hermione could not identify.

"How can you be such a child about this?! A week ago, we slept together and now you can't turn away from your cauldrons for five minutes and look me in the eye when I try to speak with you calmly."

"How dare you? You are the one who ran off the next morning and told me about your ex-boyfriend's sexual prowess or rather, lack thereof, and then you call me childish! You! The dense, puerile, unrelenting bane of my existence thinks that I am childish!"

Hermione's chest was heaving, he was the only man who could make her feel such an array of these emotions; anger, fury, lust. "You didn't think me puerile last Friday night."

He reared back as if burned and Hermione felt a weight settle in her gut. She suddenly became extremely aware of their surroundings and where she was standing. She watched as his eyes darted to the front of the classroom and back to her. His face twisted in an expression that she could only name as guilt. She didn't mean to remind him of their relationship as teacher and student but in that moment they both became slightly shocked of what they did together.

Until this moment it was easy for Hermione to imagine the Professor Snape of her childhood and the Severus that she had slept with separately. But now she could see as he stood in his classroom with a sneer on his face and his hair tied back that he was not two separate people; he was just one man.

One man who used to be her teacher and her enemy. One man who she had one night of passionate sex with. One man who knew her when she was eleven and made her best friend's life a living hell. One man who clutched at her naked skin and called her beautiful. One man who murdered and lied for the Greater Good. One man who wanted her to stay.

Her head was spinning and the tortured look on his own face led her to believe that he was thinking along the same lines. He was probably imagining her waving her hand with buck teeth and a hedge for hair.

Snape clenched his jaw and looked her squarely in the eyes as he finally spoke, "last Friday night was a mistake, it never should have happened."

Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly affronted and cringed at his blatant regret. "Well, it did, and now you'll just have to deal with being in the same room as me."

"Don't you understand? I don't care about you! I care about the way everyone now holds their breath and looks at me with disdain whenever I enter their presence. I care about my reputation being dragged through the mud. I care that people were just after getting over the drama of my trial and the news of my spying and finally showing me some respect that is now completely gone. Do you have any idea how my colleagues looked at me after that article spread like fiendfyre?"

Hermione took a deep breath and stepped towards him, "Severus, I-"

"No!" he shrugged her off him and backed away from her with anger etched into every line on his face. "Do not presume to touch me, Miss Granger. You are too familiar and it simply makes our situation worse."

"I-"

"I'm a very busy man, Miss Granger and I have much more important things to be doing than listening to you try and rectify your mistake. You left. I didn't want you to. You did. That's all there is to it and that's all I will be saying on the subject."

Hermione stood there in shock as he looked at her with a cruel twist of his mouth and a face of stone. Why was he being like this? She looked at him until his patience snapped and he slammed his hand onto his worktable, accidentally crushing a glass beaker.

"Leave!" he shouted.

Hermione flinched and wanted nothing more than to run out of the door and never be this frightened by him again; because she was frightened by him. Usually, she was pretty good at keeping her cool but now her heart raced and adrenaline coursed through her veins and her hands shook as she stepped towards his heaving body. He was literally vibrating with anger.

But he was also bleeding, and she couldn't just leave him.

Her hands shook as she reached across for his fist that was still clenched among the glass of the crushed beaker. She stretched her arm slowly and avoided eye contact, treating him like a wounded animal as he made a strangled noise and breathed deeply through his nose.

Fortunately, the beaker was empty so she didn't have to worry about contamination, but there was still a lot of blood and a large piece of glass stuck out of the flesh beneath his pinky finger.

She raised her eyes to his face as her hand closed around his wrist and brought his arm across the table for her to see the injury. His eyes were closed shut and he was still breathing deeply. He looked as if he wished he could apparate away to some desert island and never see her again, but unfortunately for him, she was here to stay.

Hermione wandlessly cleared away the blood and tried not to think about how warm his skin was as she cradled his arm with her left hand and dug her wand out of her robes with her right. First, she vanished the glass on the table and then her eyes flicked towards his face again before she directed her wand at the glass sticking out of his palm.

"Keep still," she muttered and vanished the glass, releasing a heavy flow of crimson blood that she instantly cleared away before sterilising the wound. He didn't flinch once.

She became aware of her fingers brushing against the sensitive underside of his wrist as she methodically closed the large gash, but didn't cease her movements. Surprisingly, he didn't try to stop her once, not even when she summoned bruise paste and essence of dittany in order to close the smaller cuts.

As she rubbed the paste over the now closed wound, she admired his hands and took note of every crease and callous on his skin. She briefly noted that he had a long heartline and that he desperately needed some hand moisturiser. Suddenly she was lost and simply stroking his hand with hers and forgetting that not fifteen minutes ago he was shouting at her.

His breathing calmed a lot after a while and his body seemed to lose some of the tension in his bones. She chanced a look at his face and found his eyes open, staring at her intently. His fingers closed around hers as they looked at each other and Hermione felt that familiar flutter in the pit of her stomach. In that moment she both thanked and cursed the table situated between them.

"I don't understand you," Snape whispered softly as if he was afraid to speak too loudly and break the calm that had descended on them.

"That's okay," she replied in the exact same voice, "I feel the same way about you."

His lips quirked and she smiled gently, squeezing his fingers with her own. She wished he would say something profound and intelligent that would fix all of their problems and complicated relationship but his mouth remained closed. The air surrounding them became tense and Hermione saw his eyes dart to her mouth as she bit her lip, but the room they were in seemed to be like another presence standing next to them.

It seemed as if the classroom was a separate entity screaming, "Don't forget me! Remember your past! Recall his robes billowing as he berated you! Remember her incessant questioning!"

Snape cleared his throat and stepped around the table while swapping the hand he was holding for her other one. She sent him a confused look but he was steadfastly ignoring her as he led her to the front of the classroom, to the door that led to his office.

She followed him without question and kept her eyes trained on his hair that was tied back from his face, noticing now that he had it in a bun rather than a pony tail. They passed through another door after his office and Hermine found herself standing in his private quarters.

There was a soft brown couch facing a fireplace to their right and a small kitchen and dining nook to their left with a hallway in front of them. It was simple but homey and Hermione fell in love with the wall to ceiling book cases that lined the entire area to their right by the couch, where he was currently leading her.

"Would you like some tea?" he asked as they sat down and released her hand.

Hermione nodded and gazed at the bookshelves in wonder, trying to read the titles on the spines from where she was sitting.

"Harvey!" Snape barked and suddenly there was a small house elf standing in front of them. "Tea for two please," he said and the elf simply clicked his fingers causing a large tray to appear on the coffee table, before disappearing without a word.

"Harvey?" Hermione asked incredulously as he fixed her a cup of tea, exactly the way she liked it.

"Well, I flat out refused to call him Happy, which was what Albus named him," he retorted and she couldn't help but laugh slightly.

"I must agree that some of their names are ridiculous."

"Hmmm," he hummed in agreement and raised his cup to his lips before muttering, "almost childish."

Hermione blushed as she remembered their fight in his classroom and looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry for leaving, Severus."

He cleared his throat and looked away before nodding and seemingly accepting her apology. "How did you get on with Minerva?"

"Ah, well, that's another reason why I'm here. She wants me to head a small committee dedicated to the rebuilding of Hogwarts."

"And you wish for me to be on that committee?"

"I'll be extending an invitation for all Heads of Houses to join if they so wish. Hogwarts needs to be represented on this team and who better to do that than the four Heads?"

"Three," he corrected her while staring into the cold fireplace.

"What?"

"Due to schedules and meetings and the world in general getting in the way, the position of Head of Gryffindor house has been left unfilled."

"Oh," Hermione blinked and looked up as he turned to her fully.

"What things have you thought of so far?"

"How do you know that I have ideas? I could be waiting for the greatest minds I can find to come together and brainstorm."

Severus arched his eyebrow and Hermione laughed, "alright, don't laugh but I think I know how to raise a lot of money. However, it's going to take a lot of work and convincing."

"What do you have in mind?" Severus placed his cup on the table and looked genuinely interested in what she was saying.

"Well, it's not a specific thing, more of an overall concept that I think will work," she bit her lip and attempted to explain her idea. "So far, Minerva has written to wealthy families, gone before the board and held meetings with the ministry. The problem is that no-one wants to help. What do they get for giving hundreds of galleons to a school?"

"But isn't that what has always worked in the past? Hogwarts is a prestigious school and has always been a priority in our world."

Hermione hummed in agreement and tried to explain in a different way. "In the muggle world, things aren't that simple and instead of asking for money, people have to raise it. They hold events such as concerts, bake sales, sports days and fun fairs. At these events all the money generated will then go to a certain cause and people don't mind giving their money because they usually get something out of it."

"I've heard of charity events and fund raising, Hermione."

"Yes, but Minerva hasn't, and I'm willing to bet nothing like that has been done in the Wizarding World before."

"So you want to bake muffins and sell them in Hogsmeade?" he scoffed.

"Maybe," she retorted quickly. "I told you, I haven't come up with specific ideas yet, just an overall concept; a theme if you will," she said with a smirk.

"A muggle theme?"

"Yes, I want to hold a series of fund raising events inspired by what muggles have already done, but I can't do it by myself and I certainly can't explain it well if you're looking at me like that."

"Like what?" he said with a smirk.

"Like you're confused."

"I'm not confused, I'm in awe. Nothing like that has ever been done before. You're going to take our society by storm."

"And you'll help me?" she said while smiling at him and he nodded slowly.

"I'll help you."

"Fantastic!" she exclaimed with a broad smile. "However, there's just one problem, well two really."

"What's that?"

"The Board of Management and I don't yet have an actual team assembled."

Snape placed his index finger on his lower lip and looked away, deep in thought. "You let me handle the Board and you get a committee together. Arrange a meeting for tomorrow night after dinner, here in Hogwarts and explain your idea to everyone then."

Hermione smiled and placed her hand over his. "Thank you, Severus."

He simply looked at her and she tried to ignore the flutter of feelings that came over her whenever he directed his gaze towards her. He had accepted her apology and now they must move on. They had to help the school and Hermione didn't want anything serious.

She couldn't enter a relationship right now.

* * *

Severus opened the door and let her walk through first as they emerged from his quarters to have dinner with the rest of the school. They had spent the late afternoon talking about possible fund raising activities and events that they could host in Hogwarts itself. Naturally they had also stubbornly avoided any conversation which could have led to a discussion about their complicated relationship.

"How's your leg?" Hermione asked as they ascended the steps from the dungeons.

Severus had forgotten about his late night injury and his impromptu visit to Hermione but her question brought it back to him almost violently. "It's fine," he muttered in a low voice as they arrived at the top of the staircase.

"Wotcher, Hermione!"

"Tonks! What are you doing here?" Hermione laughed as she hugged the older woman and began to walk with her.

"I'm here to collect Donovan, the boss wants a word with him."

"He should be getting more than one word," Snape muttered as they followed Tonks up the staircase to the Hospital Wing.

"Who's Donovan?"

"McGonagall hired him as the new DADA Professor but he used to be an ex-auror. Between you and me, I never really liked him much," Tonks winked.

"You mean Rick? I never knew you worked with him!"

Severus' ears picked up on Hermione's use of the meatbrain's first name and he began to walk next to the women rather than trail behind. "Rick? Do you know him?"

"Sort of, well yes, he took me out twice but I haven't heard from him since-"

"Last Saturday," Snape interjected as a sick feeling came over him.

"Yes," Hermione said as Tonks opened the large infirmary doors. "How did you know?"

Severus remembered Donovan's words from last night and suddenly it all made so much more sense. His eyes widened and it was like watching a train crash in slow motion as Hermione saw the man in the hospital bed. Donovan's eyes turned crazed and he thrashed against his magical bindings keeping him in place.

"You! Come to gloat have you? And, look, you've brought your pet Death Eater along as well. You make me sick! How could you stoop so low and do that with him?"

Severus felt the familiar burn of anger in his chest but he ignored it in favour of looking at Miss Granger. He could practically see her thinking as her brow creased. How could she not have realised it yet?

"I should have finished you when I had the chance, Snape!"

"Alright, Donovan, time to calm down. I can't bring you back to the ministry and release you if you're not going to behave." Tonks approached the bed slowly from the side but her words did nothing to calm the irate man.

"Rick was the one who attacked you?" Hermione asked as she turned to Severus.

He winced and nodded; it was bad enough listening to her use the prick's first name, never mind conceding to defeat.

"But, why?" she asked incredulously

"Why? Isn't that a question we should be asking you, Hermione? Why would you walk away from me just to run straight to him? Or better again, how could you? What possessed you to sleep in his arms? Just look at him! Did he force you? You can tell me, love, I'll help you!"

Severus turned and placed his hand on her arm. "Perhaps we should leave," he muttered, but he knew it was a lost cause as she stepped closer to the bed with fire in her eyes.

"How dare you?! Thank you very much for the offer, Rick, but I can make up my own mind," Hermione said firmly and grasped Severus' hand within hers, pulling him close. Severus' eyes widened as she took his hand and tried to loosen her grip.

His discomfort grew as Tonks looked over with a raised eyebrow and looked at Snape with a disbelieving expression. He attempted to step back only to feel Granger's fingers tighten around his own.

"Let's go, Hermione," Severus said as he desperately tried to untangle their hands once more.

"Can you really?" Donovan shouted from the bed. Tonks rolled her eyes as she took out her wand. "You slut! He didn't have to persuade you at all, did he? I should have known the kind of bitch you are. Hermione Granger, falling into bed with any greasy haired -"

His speech was cut off as he slumped back against the bed and Tonks pocketed her wand. "He was getting very annoying," the bubblegum haired witch said with a pained smile in their direction.

Hermione said nothing and finally loosened her grip around his fingers. Severus gratefully took his hand back and nodded once to Tonks before spinning on his heel and exiting the Hospital wing. His leg was starting to itch uncomfortably from all the walking and he really couldn't stand being in her company for another minute.

He gritted his teeth as he heard footsteps coming after him and somewhat childishly sped up in order to get away from her. Why couldn't she simply leave him alone?

"Severus, wait!"

She was closer than he thought but he kept walking, ignoring her cries. 'Don't look back,' he repeated in his mind, 'don't look back, don't look back, don't look-'

"Severus, talk to me."

She pulled one corner of his teaching robes and pulled him to her again. He was sick of it. Sick of her constantly touching him. Sick of her dabbing his robes clean and healing his injuries and holding his hand and most of all, pulling him close. He was sick to death of her pulling him close. She didn't want him; so why pretend that she did? Why drag out this insufferable torture and give him false hope?

"Get away from me," he hissed and pushed her hands away violently.

"Why?" she asked and he watched as she reached for him again. She wanted to pull him close? Fine, he'll get close. Severus suddenly grabbed her two shoulders and pushed her up against the stone wall next to them.

He wanted to punish her. He wanted her to feel this tornado of emotions that was wreaking havoc in his heart and mind. Everything was so much simpler before she came along with her lovely dress and modern ideals. In Severus' world, every little thing had a box and a label and a place; but this thing between himself and Hermione Granger had no name and fit in no box and definitely did not have a place in his world. It was complicated and confusing and tore his mind in two whenever he tried to figure it out.

Even the most young, modern and free thinking witch he knew, had looked upon their joined hands with disbelief and a raised eyebrow. It was clear he didn't deserve her; a blind man could see that. But did she have to make it so hard by constantly touching him? He never should have gone to that stupid celebration in the first place and he certainly never should have had the audacity to wish she had stayed with him.

"Severus?" He blinked and felt her hand cupping his face as he crushed her against the stone wall. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly like she was talking to an injured animal and was scared of it running off.

"Why do you always touch me?" he whispered and hated himself for how pathetic he sounded.

"I, I guess I never realised that I touch you more than usual." She sounded confused and he knew that he made no sense at all but for some reason he desperately wanted her to understand. Her whiskey brown eyes called to him and before he knew it, he was speaking before he even gave his tongue the command to move."

"No-one touches me; ever. I don't have friends, Hermione. I do not receive claps on the back, high fives, hugs, kisses or even the supportive pat on my shoulder. The most contact I had with another human being in a decade was a handshake. Mediwitches do not need to touch in order to heal and romance was never in the cards for Dumbledore's spy."

Hermione made some strangled noise in the back of her throat and the hand on his face moved into his hair, caressing the back of his head. He tried not to enjoy it, he knew he didn't deserve her touch, but, oh Merlin, it felt good.

"No-one touches me," he repeated as if it was a cardinal rule. "But then you came into my life and for some reason, you deemed me worthy of your attention and I promised myself that I would hold it for as long as you would let me. For one brief moment you gave me something beautiful and priceless and then you were gone. I tried to deal with it, I promise I did, but you were just so soft and accepting and then you ripped it away from me and I went back to being scorned and avoided and even beat up."

He took a deep breath and tried to stop the words from flowing out of his mouth but he couldn't. He was too tired and sore and out of practice for his shields to erect themselves without command, and somehow, no matter how many times a voice screamed at him to use occlumency in his mind, his mouth wasn't listening.

"The memory of your body and your words haunt me and your rejection is so difficult to cope with because for some strange, inconceivable reason, you won't stop touching me." He looked down at her and wrapped an arm around her waist and wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. "Why?" he pleaded with her again.

"I'm so sorry, Severus. It's me that doesn't deserve you, I -" her voice cracked and he could see her swallow a sob as she tried not to let herself cry. "I'll try to stop touching you, I didn't even realise that I affected you, but whenever I'm with you it feels like I must. Your eyes are just so…" she stopped talking again and shook her head as well as she could with his large palm wiping away each tear as it fell. Her face was so soft even as it turned red and blotchy.

His mind jumped to several conclusions at her words and he clenched her hip with his hand. "Don't stop touching me," he pleaded and distantly he wondered when he got into masochism. "Hermione, I still want you," the words spilled from his mouth like vomit and he winced as soon as he said them, wishing he could retract the words, knowing she would reject him.

"Snape!"

They both looked down the corridor leading to the hospital wing and saw Tonks running towards them with a pained expression on her face. Severus wasted no time in detangling his limbs from Hermione and backed away from the wall he had her pinned to.

"I need some help, Donovan's giving me a bit of trouble and another wand would be greatly appreciated."

Severus nodded to her and advanced forward with his wand already in his hand. He looked back to say one last word to Hermione, but only saw her walking away and he closed his eyes against the feelings that bombarded him.

"Snape? Are you alright?" Tonks asked.

"I'm fine, Miss Tonks," he said, keeping his back to the auror and struggling to stay calm as he tried to erect some occlumency shields.

He had admitted everything to her.

'Don't look back.' He turned in the direction of the Infirmary; his face a stony mask. 'Don't look back, don't look back.'

He had admitted everything to her and she walked away.

'Don't look back, don't look back, don't look back.'

She left.

'Don't look back, don't look back.'

She left again.

* * *

Hermione sipped on a glass of white wine as she sat at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place. It had been a long day today, and tomorrow promised to be even longer with the first meeting of her committee going ahead in the staffroom of Hogwarts. She had recieved replies from everyone on Minerva's list; but she couldn't seem to think about her new task no matter how hard she tried.

Her feelings for Severus seemed to become more complicated every time she saw him and today things escalated past the point of no return. She knew it took a lot for him to admit that he still wanted her, but at the same time it seemed that he regretted his words the minute they were out of his mouth.

She had wanted nothing more than to sink into his arms and never let go, but she couldn't, there was no way anything could work between them.

It was like every time they talked and took a step forward, something happened that caused them to take four steps back. She closed her eyes against the memory of Rick's face twisted in anger and Severus' face twisted with a deeply rooted pain. She probably should have stayed and talked to Severus after what was said, but she decided to be selfish for once.

Plus, she had a bottle of wine to get home to. A tear slipped out of the corner of her eye as she thought back to her meeting with Professor Caplin that morning. The charms lecturer was a broad, elderly wizard who was renowned for his forays into memory charms and curses.

She thought he could have helped her, but instead he simply made her aware of how grave her own situation actually was.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but I'm afraid if you want to help your parents, it will take months of extensive research and trials," he had said as he rose out of the pensive filled with her memories. He sighed and looked her up and down with a piercing blue gaze. "Months that I am guessing you do not have."

Hermione froze as the blood in her body stopped. Her eyes slowly connected with the man before her. He was wearing a face full of pity and regret and Hermione realised that he was not looking at her, but at the air surrounding her. Somehow, he knew.

"How did you know?" she asked, disbelieving.

"It's a talent all Charms Masters have. We learn to create spells and manipulate magic, therefore it makes sense that we are also taught to see the magic in the air surrounding us. Different people have different auras, some stronger than others, it is clear to see that yours has been tainted horrifically."

Hermione sunk into the armchair she was standing next to and licked her lips, trying to come to terms with the fact that now another person knew.

"Have you been to St Mungos? It's possible that they could-"

"They can do nothing," Hermine interrupted bitterly. "It's a complicated spell and went undetected for too long during the war."

Caplin's face filled with horror and pity once more. "You've been like this since the war?" his eyes flicked to the areas around her face, "it looks quite extensive and that was months ago. You should be dead, or incapacitated at least."

"I figured out a way to sort of… block the effects," Hermione's voice turned numb as she thought of the implications to this revelation. What about when she goes to Hogwarts and runs into Flitwick? She never wanted anyone to find out about what was happening to her, least of all the Charms Master.

Caplin observed the young lady in front of him and realised that she never intended anyone to know. "Miss Granger, I can't say I was ever in your kind of situation, but I do know that most problems lessen once they've been shared. To go on like this without telling your f-"

"Thank you Professor Caplin, for all of your help today," Hermione had said briskly before she stormed out of the office and made her way towards Hogwarts for her meeting with Minerva.

Thinking back on it now, she should have realised that someone would eventually find out. She sipped on her glass and for some reason thought of Severus. If anyone was to find out she would have bet on him.

But obviously, he had no idea, if he still wanted her. It was unfair for him to want her after everything he had been through. Hermione smiled as she took a large gulp of wine. Of course she would think of how life was so unfair to him when she was the one that was dying.

A voice in the back of her head whispered something along the lines of, 'tell him, he will understand, he could help you,' but Hermione took another large gulp of wine, refilled her glass and suddenly the voice was quiet again.


	5. I Would Leave Me Too

Ron's face smiled up at her from the floor of the common room. "Please, 'Mione, you know that I struggle with Potions."

"You 'struggle' with everything, Ron," she replied with a grin.

"But you love me anyway," he said cheekily and handed his unfinished essay over to her, before he sat back down next to Lavender.

Hermione accepted his essay with a smile. However, a part of her heart cramped as Ron's arm went around Lavender's waist and he deserted Hermione in order to direct his smile at the blonde. She sighed and turned to the paper in front of her. She would need to correct it quickly if she was going to help Harry with his Charms assignment as well.

Suddenly Hermione was standing in front of McGonagall and asking her about a complex Transfiguration technique. Her favourite teacher smiled and devoted her spare time to showing Hermione the correct wand movements to the NEWT level spell.

The young Gryffindor would have loved the extra attention if she wasn't trying to come up with another question. "But Professor, if it's this easy to transfigure fabrics, why are the changeable clothes in Madame Malkin's so sought after?"

McGonagall went into a longwinded speech about the durability of spells and the effects of long term transfiguration, but Hermione was mentally counting down the seconds until she could leave. She hated deceiving her Professor like this. Sirius should know better than to contact the boys in the common room.

"Oh Merlin, look at the time. I'm due to give an announcement in the common room, Miss Granger. Let's continue this conversation another time, yes?" The Professor smiled kindly and Hermione felt that familiar pang of guilt, but she shoved it away. She was doing this for her friends.

"Of course, Professor."

The scene changed again and now Hermione was in the library trying to fight back tears as she finally found _the_ spell. This was it; the one that would allow her to save her parents and be there for Harry.

She stared at the name engraved with a flowing script on the inside cover and the logical part of her brain told her that this wasn't a coincidence, but she shoved that thought away. Of course it made sense that Dumbledore would have the exact book she was looking for on his desk with the others that she summoned from his office.

The thought of her dead Headmaster brought different memories to the forefront of her mind. He was standing next to Professor McGonagall, handing over a delicate gold chain. "Now remember, Miss Granger, terrible things happen to Witches and Wizards that meddle with Time," his voice was light and another, long forgotten, sentence of his popped into her mind.

"Miss Granger, you know the law," Hermione's heart dropped as she thought that the Headmaster would forbid her from using the time turner to save Harry's Godfather, "-you know what is at stake… _you must not be seen_." Oh, he did want her to go back and rescue Sirius. Hermione briefly thought that if the Ministry found out then she could be in deep trouble.

But if Dumbledore was encouraging her, then obviously it was okay.

Now, Hermione was standing in her bedroom at home, putting away the books that she had read cover to cover, but that her teachers had never finished fully explaining. There was an advanced cleansing charm on page 341 that she would have loved to ask Professor Flitwick about. The pronunciation was giving her a spot of trouble.

She scoffed and berated herself for her selfishness. How could she be regretting the loss of a teacher when Harry had lost his mentor permanently just weeks ago? She disillusioned her books and cast muggle repellent charms over her entire bedroom before walking down the stairs. She took a deep breath and clenched the wand in her hand as she saw her parents sitting down. 'For the Greater Good,' she said to herself as she raised her wand and pointed it at the back of her mother's head.

"Poppy! I got here as fast as I could!"

Hermione was lying in the Hospital wing with a burning pain in her chest. All she could think of was, 'Oh God, it hurts.'

"Oh, Severus, thank Merlin! Attend to Miss Granger; I don't know the curse that was used."

Hermione could hear Ron groaning but cared little for her friend. The skin on her chest felt like it was ripping in two as fire ran through her veins instead of blood. The flash of purple from Dolohov's wand popped into her mind. Her heart skipped a beat and her back bent on the white sheets.

"She's going into shock! Poppy, I need you to keep her down!"

Now her heart was beating faster and she couldn't stop it. She was strangely aware of her upper body being exposed to cold air and then thick, hot blood pouring out of her and cascading down her ribs. Pain was everywhere. Suddenly her view of the ceiling was blocked by a pair of eyes as black as night.

"Miss Granger, can you hear me?"

Her teeth clenched and her lungs convulsed along with her heart this time. She couldn't breathe.

"Poppy!"

Magic washed over her like a bucket of ice and suddenly she could breathe again. The black eyes were in front of her once more, filled with concern. She vaguely noticed that they were the most intense eyes she had ever seen. They looked familiar.

"You focus on keeping her warm; I have to stop the curse from reaching her heart."

The fact that she could breathe was shadowed by the horrifying fact that every time her chest moved, she wanted to die. Her world exploded in pain as her heart skipped another beat and almost paused in her body. A scream released from her throat and her hands reached out blindly in front of her.

"I know it hurts, Miss Granger, just hold on, I nearly have it," a deep voice muttered.

She screamed again and someone cursed. "Fucking, stupid, bleeding-heart Potter! Running off into danger without one thought to how others could possibly get fucking killed!"

A wand ran along her chest to where the blood spilled from her body and she whimpered once more. "Has anyone found Umbridge?" a voice sounded, but Hermione ignored it completely. She concentrated on the black eyes in front of her and did her best not to close her own. Somehow, she knew what would happen if she closed her eyes.

But where was Harry? She needed to be with Harry. She needed to keep him safe. That was why she went to the Ministry in first place. 'Just focus on me,' a deep voice said in her mind and she continued to gaze into the ebony orbs in front of her.

The black eyes were still there, looking at her, but suddenly the pain ebbed away and the Hospital Wing disappeared from her vision. She could no longer hear Ron or the bustle of a busy room; she could only see a deep, captivating black.

His thin lips covered hers and her fully healed chest heaved in response. "Oh," she whispered as he entered her once more in a long stroke. Her hands drifted along his back and she felt the scars beneath her palms.

His eyes filled with emotion and he whispered softly, "touch me."

The scene changed again.

Tears ran down her face as she stood in front of him in the Great Hall surrounded by Harry, Ron, Dumbledore, and Voldemort.

"Touch me," Severus pleaded in a broken voice and Hermione was suddenly surrounded by a grey pulsing aura. She glanced down at her arms and saw the curse turning the veins in her arms black. The curse flowed through her blood and she knew she was going to die.

"Please, Hermione," he said softly. He knelt between Voldemort and Dumbledore and they each had a hand on his shoulder while glaring at each other.

Hermione took a step towards the trio and instantly regretted it. A woman with flowing red hair was lying on the floor between herself and Severus. It was obvious that she was dead from her lifeless green eyes. His anguished screams of denial drew even more tears from her.

The grey aura grew darker around her as she stepped back. She couldn't put him through that again.

"Hermione, no!" he screamed while looking at Lily Potter's dead body and Hermione turned her back on him. No matter her feelings, she had to leave him. She couldn't be with him just to die a few months later.

The grey light around her turned black and Hermione could hear Severus cry and scream behind her, even as she walked away.

"Hermione!"

She woke up with a wet face and a pounding headache. Two empty bottles of wine rolled on the table in front of her and the sound caused her stomach to roll violently.

"Are you okay?" Ron stood next to her with his arm extended to her shoulder. Hermione blinked and saw the vision of Severus kneeling between his two Masters while calling her name. Tears leaked out of her eyes and suddenly she was wrapped up in her oldest friend's embrace as he rubbed her back.

She wanted nothing more than to sink into a hot bath, but she could not forget her vivid dream and the wine from the night before continued to punish her for the indulgence.

"'Mione, what's wrong?" Ron shushed her cries and it broke her heart to feel his comfort even though he was mad at her.

"Oh, Ron!" she hiccupped into his shoulder. "I don't know what to do!"

She imagined the horrible grey aura from her dream and cried harder, but he responded by rubbing her back with firmer strokes. "Is this about Snape?"

She didn't try to analyse his tone of voice and simply nodded against his neck. "Did he hurt you?"

"Oh, God, no! I don't think he could; no matter how much he might want to."

"Then, why…?" his voice trailed off and Hermione hugged him tighter, inhaling his scent.

"I really like him," she whispered almost childishly against his neck and the words released the tension in her body like breaking a dam. "Why is it always me, Ron? Why can't the cards ever fall in _my_ favour?"

"I don't understand. I know the guy is an awful greasy git and if I had it my way, none of us would have ever crossed paths with him; but are you crying 'cause you fancy him?" He put his hands on her waist and pushed her away from him in order to look into her eyes.

The image of Severus' face as Lily's body lay before him pierced her mind and Hermione's heart clenched. "We can never be together," she said softly. It felt good to finally say the words, but the problem was that she wanted to tell him everything; and that just wasn't possible.

Ron smiled and rubbed her arms. "'Mione, if you like him that much, then it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. I know I blew a casket when I found out, but I have to admit that it was mostly because you had jumped into bed with him without a second thought," he grimaced and took a deep breath, "If he's what you want then I'm sure I can learn to live with it… in time."

"Ron." Hermione couldn't believe her ears and hot tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I never want to see you crying, especially over the Dungeon Bat. If you really like him and he returns your feelings then fuck everyone else! They can go to hell as long as you're happy!"

"But, you don't understand, I'm-" the words caught in her throat and she couldn't find the courage to tell him, never mind that fact that her mind was screaming 'I'M DYING' at him. Some Gryffindor she was.

"You're the insufferable know-it-all, I know, but somehow I'm sure he'll get over it. There's no need to be dramatic, just tell him how you feel." He smiled at her again and she felt guilt shoot through her.

"Of, course, you're exactly right, Ron." He gathered her in his arms again and she realised that her death was going to crush him. Until this point it had been easy to think about the fact that she didn't want to die, but that she was going to anyway and how that would only affect her. However, now she realised that even though she saved her parents the pain of losing her and saved Severus from the possibility of exploring their relationship only have her die in a year, that there was still so many people who would mourn her loss. "I'm so sorry, Ron."

"Hey, what are you sorry for? It's alright. Just promise me that you'll talk to Snape. I can't have you leaking all over the kitchen on a regular basis."

His attempt at humour fell flat, but she tried to muster up a smile. "I promise," she sniffed while knowing that she would never tell Severus how she felt. If he knew that she was close to falling in love with him… there was no telling what he would do.

* * *

Severus sat at the table in the Great Hall and tried to ignore Minerva prattling on about the incompetence of the Board. Everyone knew they were idiots. He supposed it was a small mercy that none of them had dared to speak up against him during his year as Head. He shook off the bad memories and turned to the mail beside him. His owl, Mercury, had just delivered three letters.

"Well aren't you popular this morning," Pomona remarked to his left as she ripped open a letter of her own. "Oh, it's from Miss Granger, apparently she's hosting a meeting in the staffroom tonight for the rebuilding of Hogwarts. Minerva did you know of this?"

"Oh, yes, I asked Hermione to set up a little team to raise funds for the school. She works fast," she commented and glanced at Severus' dark face. "Struggling with popularity?"

"No, currently, I am the exact opposite of popular," he sneered at the rejection letter in front of him.

"What's wrong, Severus?" Pomona asked politely.

He said nothing but simply passed the letter to Minerva as he reached for the second one. She looked at his tense posture and then read aloud, sensing bad news. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, our office would like to thank you for the article on the use and effects of different alloys and metals in Potion making, but will have to decline publishing said article in the next issue. After consideration, it was decided that the article is not what we are looking for at this time in Potions Weekly magazine," Minerva's voice trailed off as she watched his face fall.

"Is that-" she began, looking at the second letter.

"Another rejection," he nodded.

"Oh, Severus, I'm sorry," Pomona said. "I didn't know you submitted Potions articles."

"In the past few years, I wrote them under a pseudonym, but about six months ago I started using my own name again."

Minerva swallowed the lump in her throat as she thought of the war and suddenly the absence of the charmed sky above them seemed like the least of their problems.

Pomona coughed and looked pointedly at the last letter before them. Severus eyed it cautiously and slowly reached for it. This couldn't be another rejection; he only submitted his writing to two magazines.

He ripped open the seal and sped read the first paragraph. Suddenly his heart started beating wildly in his chest and he felt the most insane urge to run. His mind started thinking of anything remotely connected to… ah, there it was.

Why did everything always have to come back to Granger?

"Oh Severus, I am sorry," Minerva patted his knee under the table as his face turned black and he folded up the letter to put in his pocket.

"That's quite alright, Minerva, I should be used to rejection by now," he muttered darkly.

The two Witches beside him exchanged worried glances as he stood up from his seat. "If you'll excuse me, I seem to have lost my appetite."

He strode out of the Great Hall and immediately ducked into a small, shadowed alcove. He needed to read it again, to be sure.

 _Dear Professor Snape,_

 _I am delighted to extend this invitation to you for the annual meeting of the Elite Elixirs held in Varna this year. It has been brought to my attention that your talents have gone unnoticed in our area of expertise for too long. Although your ideas, breakthroughs and research were published, no credit was given to you yourself._

 _It is my understanding that due to your efforts fighting in the war against the dark wizard Voldemort, you were unable to achieve your full potential in Potions. However, I believe the war is now over and if it is possible for you, it would be an honour to see you on the first weekend of December for the conference. A timetable of the organised activities and the prearranged venue shall be sent to you if you should choose to accept this invitation._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Chairman Aleksander Borisov._

Severus cursed and felt his head connect harshly with the stone wall behind him. He relished in the pain. There was no longer any doubt. He was sure she was behind it. The letter burned a hole in his robes as he placed it back into a hidden pocket.

What the hell was he supposed to do now?

* * *

Hermione knocked on Professor Flitwick's office door and tried to swallow her nerves as it opened by itself. She had stopped by before meeting with the committee.

"Come in," a voice called out. She stepped inside and narrowly avoided a stack of books sitting just inside the office. The room itself was a cluttered mess of papers, books, journals and scrolls. The only blank space was in front of the large fireplace and the chair opposite Flitwick's desk. The Charms Master himself sat at the desk, putting the finishing touches on what appeared to be a lesson plan for a NEWT level class.

"Take a seat; I'll be with you in just a second." His quill made a scratching noise as he put a flourishing curve on a 'g' and finally raised his head to look at her. Hermione braced herself.

"Ah, umm." His reaction was instantaneous. His eyes widened and glanced at the air surrounding her body as she sat in the seat he had offered. "Miss Granger?"

"Hello, Professor." Hermione mentally congratulated herself for her strong voice and for not breaking down, "how are you?"

"Better than you, I would presume," he said suspiciously with narrowed eyes.

"Ah, yes, I wondered when you would mention it."

"Would you like to tell me what happened?" he said as he pushed his lesson plan away and gave her his full attention.

"Not particularly," she sighed. "It came to my attention that Charms Masters have the ability to see my… affliction."

"And you decided to come to me in private before I got quite the shock in a public setting."

Hermione nodded and thanked the Gods that she was dealing with a Ravenclaw. "It seemed prudent."

"When were you cursed exactly? And by who? The war has been over for six months now." His confusion was evident and Hermione cringed at the thought of explaining and reliving old memories.

"It did happen during the war, by Bellatrix Lestrange in fact."

"That's not possible," his brow furrowed, "you should be-"

"Dead? Yes, that's what Professor Caplin said as well." Hermione blinked and crossed her legs before letting out a deep breath.

Flitwick looked at his old student with a soft expression and folded his hands on the desk. "Take your time, Miss Granger. Start from the beginning."

"We were captured," she said finally. "During our time on the run, they somehow found us and when she saw that we had the sword…" a shiver ran through her body as she remembered the ceiling of the Malfoy's drawing room. "She wasn't happy. They separated us and sent Harry and Ron down to the dungeon while she interrogated me. That was when all of this happened," she gestured to the air surrounding her body.

"I can't remember the exact incantation; it was in Latin and there was just so much pain," she whispered and thought of the word carved into her arm. "She was ranting about the Order and Muggleborns and Light magic. I didn't understand a lot of it."

"When did you discover what happened?" he asked as her voice trailed off.

"The next time I used magic, of course. I woke up after a nightmare and everything hurt so much. I tried to summon a glass of water, but it was like nothing I'd ever felt before."

"Did it hurt?"

"Not at first. In fact it's actually quite addictive. I can feel my magic bending to my will and rising in my veins, but now I also feel it turning against me. It travels in my veins and attacks me from the inside out. It doesn't always make itself known, but sometimes I'd wake up in a pool of vomit or get a spontaneous nose bleed, and I'd be reminded that there's a curse flowing within me, killing me."

Flitwick nodded, he had heard stories of this particular curse. It was called the _'Sanguis Proditor'_ loosely translating to 'Blood Betrayer'. It turned one's magic Dark and poisoned their body until there was nothing left. Their magic was literally turned aginst them. Victims usually died of heart attacks or failed lungs, as the curse typically targeted the vital organs, but there weren't enough cases to be sure. It wasn't a popular cause of death.

There was also no cure.

"How have you delayed the affects?"

"I've created a sort of, temporary counter attack, using my own body's immune system. I got the idea from muggle Biology and white blood cells, but it's not a fool proof solution. I can feel the curse adapting and changing within me in order to defeat my modified phagocytes. I won't bore you with the details."

"It would probably go completely over my head if you tried, I'm afraid I never looked into this Biology that you speak of." Flitwick felt a pang in his heart. Sitting before him was one of the world' greatest minds that should have her whole life ahead of her, but was in fact, dying. Unfortunately, life always does seem to get in the way.

"I'm sorry I can't help you, but, you know Severus is actually quite adept at a variety of subjects and specialises in healing Potions. I'm sure he'd be able to understand your theories, given that he's a Half-blood," Flitwick smiled. "Yes! And I hear that Healer Pye is doing revolutionary things by combining magic with muggle medicine. Don't you worry, Miss Granger, we'll have you fixed in no time."

Hermione sighed and looked into her old Professor's hopeful face. "I think you misunderstand, Professor. I didn't come here for help, I came here for a wand oath."

"A wand oath?" he asked incredulously. "Why would you ask me for a…" his voice trailed off and he looked into the fireplace, deep in thought. "You're not telling anyone," he whispered. "Why aren't you telling anyone!?"

Hermione flinched as her heart started beating wildly. Not once in her entire schooling had Professor Flitwick ever shouted at her. Now, however, he was practically red-faced, hovering out of his seat in anger.

"Would you have even told me about this, if I couldn't see it for myself?!" he shouted.

Hermione shook her head slightly. "It's my choice, Professor. I've been to St Mungo's and they can't help me. I don't want my friends to look at me with pity and I certainly don't want to be the one to tell them that I will die in less than a year and they will have to attend yet another funeral."

Flitwick almost visibly deflated at her bluntness.

"Please, Professor," she said softly. "I want my death to be on my own terms. I can't do that if everyone around me starts grasping at straws for a cure and looks at me with despair every time I enter a room."

Filius clenched his teeth and prepared to argue, but instantly gave up on the idea. She was right. He could try to deny it all he wanted, but he remembered his own reaction to when he first saw her. One glance and he could see the pulsing grey aura with streaks of black around her person. He imagined her friends having to endure that knowledge and no offence to the young Potter and Weasley, but if he couldn't help her then they didn't stand a chance. He imagined Miss Granger under their daily scrutiny and pitiful looks.

Flitwick sighed and stepped down from his special chair which was made to accommodate his height.

"I really hope I'm doing the right thing," he muttered as he faced his ex-pupil and slowly took out his wand.

* * *

"Severus! I expected you to be in the staffroom with the others," Minerva said as he stepped into her office holding a bottle of firewhiskey. Her eyebrows rose. "You do know that you have classes to teach tomorrow morning?"

"That is why I am sharing it with you and also why I only have one bottle," he replied cheekily as he conjured two glasses and began filling each with a generous amount of alcohol.

"Well I can't argue with that," she said as she pushed aside her paperwork.

Severus sat down in the large wingback chair facing her desk and threw a letter in front of her. "Read this," he said gruffly as he took a large gulp of firewhiskey.

He sat back with his glass as her eyebrows continued to steadily rise. "Oh, Merlin!" she exclaimed. "Severus this is fantastic! This is just the thing to stop all those rejection letters."

She looked up at him with a smile, but her expression grew wary when she saw his face. "Why do I suddenly feel like this isn't a celebratory drink?"

"Because that letter was written by Aleksander Borisov," he said as he knocked back more whiskey.

"As far as I know," Minerva began slowly, "Master Borisov is a highly respected and prestigious Wizard. Reports say that he could be elected as Chairman next year as well, making it the first time that the Elite Elixirs will be held in the same country for two years in a row."

"He's also Bulgarian," Severus muttered darkly into his glass.

Minerva blinked. "I'm not following."

Severus let out a long suffering sigh. "Borisov is Viktor Krum's mother's maiden name."

Minerva looked at Severus in front of her and took the first sip from her glass. His was now empty.

"Why do you have sorrows to drown, simply because the man, who is extending you a very generous lifeline, is also Mr Krum's uncle?" she asked incredulously. "Merlin, Severus, you should be jumping for joy, not staring morosely at the bottom of a whiskey tumbler!"

"Exactly!" he shouted as if she had just explained everything. He stood up from the chair and began to pace. "It _was_ generous! Too generous!"

Minerva took a longer sip of her drink and settled into her chair. She had a feeling that she knew where this was heading.

"My name is currently in ruins, my reputation in tatters and Borisov is lined up for another election in January. The absolute worst thing he could possibly do is bring someone unworthy into the fold. This isn't some extracurricular Potions Society! This is the Elite Elixirs," he waved his arms dramatically, "the clue is the name; it's elite!"

He continued to pace and Minerva casually re-filled his glass as he ranted. "Therefore, that begs the question! Thank you," he muttered as he picked up the glass. "Why? Why would the Chairman of Elite Elixirs, nearing election time I remind you, bring in an ex-Death Eater, nobody Teacher, alleged Pervert and English Half-blood who is surrounded by scandal? It would kill his election Minerva," he muttered gravely and knocked back the rest of his firewhiskey.

"Do you know why he would do this?" he asked as he turned to see her top up her glass.

"No, but I presume you're about to tell me."

"Well, I'll tell you!" he said loudly and she rolled her eyes. "It was Granger!"

"Hermione?"

"Gryffindor that she is, she felt guilty about the Wizarding World dragging me through the mud! So naturally, she just _had_ to sweep in and save the day like a good little hero. She wrote to her Bulgarian Bonbon telling him of her woes and he readily volunteered his services. Poor bastard probably didn't even realise he was being manipulated, it's sad, really." He slumped back into the chair and raised his glass to his lips, but frowned when he noticed it was empty.

"Are you quite finished?"

Severus nodded and completely ignored her harsh tone as he refilled his glass.

"First of all, you are not a 'nobody Teacher,' you are my prestigious Potions Master. Secondly, you do not know for sure that Miss Granger is behind all of this, but even if she is then I would think you should be grateful." She raised her hand as he opened his mouth to interrupt and he settled for glaring at her over the rim of his tumbler.

"Which brings me to thirdly; stop acting like a child!" she nodded decisively as if that solved all his problems and his jaw dropped.

"Minerva, you cannot be serious! Why should I be grateful to her for meddling in my affairs?!"

"It's partly Hermione's fault that you're in this mess with the media in the first place. Why is it so hard for you to just accept that she wanted to do something nice for you?"

Severus crossed his arms and sighed. If only she knew. No-one ever did anything for him without expecting something in return. He hated the thought of being in someone's debt, and the thought of being in debt to Hermione Granger made his blood boil.

"She'll want something from me," he muttered petulantly.

"Somehow, I doubt it," Minerva said bluntly. "Just give her a chance."

"Why should I? She leaves me every chance she gets!"

McGonagall raised her eyebrow in question, but he was staring into the liquid in his glass.

"I don't blame her really, I'd deny me too if I had the chance," he whispered darkly. "I know she doesn't want me, that's obvious if one looks at all the times she ran away from me. It's just," he sighed, "sometimes; I look at her and she's already looking at me and even though neither of us say anything, it's just so…" his voice trailed off and Minerva looked at him staring into the distance. She had never seen him like this before.

"Sometimes, she gets this look in her eyes and I think, 'maybe she does want me', but then she'll do something like leave or she'll say the wrong thing." He grimaced. "Or I'll say the wrong thing." He continued to stare at nothing as he suddenly groaned. "And then there's the touching."

He rubbed his eyes and Minerva wondered whether or not she really wanted to hear this part. "She can't stop touching me and it is infuriatingly wonderful. She touches my arm or my hand and my mind goes blissfully blank, even as my skin tingles. And then she'd bite her lip and my heart would stop because I know exactly what she can do with those lips."

His voice fell flat once more and Minerva thanked whatever Gods that were listening for making him stop there.

"I know it's not a bad thing that she got me invited to this meeting. In fact, you're right and I probably should be grateful."

"But?" she prompted and smothered the inclination to ask him for that sentence in writing.

"But, wherever Hermione is concerned, I like to think and expect the worst; for self-preservation if nothing else. And I absolutely loath handouts."

Minerva snorted and refilled both of their glasses with the last of the bottle. She had a feeling about why he wasn't at that meeting now.

"Severus?"

"Mmmm?"

"May I ask you a question?"

"You just did," he smirked.

She smiled and waited until he took another drink. "Do you like Hermione?" He froze and pinned her with his sharp gaze. "Romantically, I mean?" she prodded.

Severus sighed and looked into his glass before looking up at Albus who had given up on pretending to be asleep long ago. His old Master simply raised an eyebrow at him with twinkling eyes. "Yes."

Minerva nodded and finished her drink as they sat in silence. "Do you want my advice?" she asked after a while.

"Probably not, but you may as well tell me," he said while sitting back into the chair.

"You say she doesn't want you, but I doubt that Hermione Granger would be kissing someone she didn't want the way she was kissing you outside of Grimmauld place on Friday night." Severus blushed as he remembered Minerva coming out of Headquarters and discovering him pinning Hermione against the wall.

"Therefore," she continued, "I think that you should woo her. You want her then go get her! Where's the point in treading on glass and not attending meetings and getting drunk on a Sunday night with your employer? Go to the Elite Elixirs and when you get back, Hermione will be staying in the Castle for her NEWTS. If she's still giving you the cold shoulder after Christmas, then no harm, no foul and you can move on."

"You want me to seduce her?" he spluttered. "To woo her over the Christmas break?"

"Why, not?" she asked simply.

Severus opened his mouth but no words came out. He could not think of a single reason.

"Take the weekend off and re-establish your reputation in Bulgaria. I'm sure I could oversee your Slytherins for one weekend."

Severus shook his head absently, "Give them to Sinistra, they'd feel more comfortable with a fellow Slytherin."

McGonagall nodded and made a note of his plans on an errant piece of parchment. "When you come back, you can worry about everything else, but I suggest that for now, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Your advice is appreciated," he said and inclined his head; already making a list of things he will have to pack. Minerva's idea had merit and Severus never had any problem with using people for their connections before. It was just harder to accept as it was coming from her.

However, one thing was certain if he was going to be spending a weekend with top Potioneers to win back his reputation... he needed another set of dress robes.

* * *

A/N: So this chapter was a bit of a filler, but I felt it was needed in order to see Hermione's side of things. I want to get across that she is treating Severus the way that she is because she feels that she _has_ to; not because she wants to. The sad truth is that she's dying and she's not dealing with that fact healthily so it's hard for her to think straight. Thank you all so muchh for the wonderful reviews! xxx

Coming up in the next Chapter : The first Committee meeting and Severus' trip to Bulgaria.


	6. This Cancer Inside, Stealing My Sleep

A/N: I cannot apologise enough for this late update. I can only hope that I haven't lost any readers during the time it took for me to start writing again. You probably might want to read the previous chapter to get a feel for what is going on. I struggled a lot with the name of this chapter as I was torn between two; but I eventually settled on this. Some of you may have noticed that a lot of my chapter titles are song lyrics and this particular one comes from the song 'come undone', I wanted to highlight the seriousness of Hermione's condition and this line just kind of spoke to me. (Even though, when I listen to the song as a whole, I feel it relates more to Severus.) Currently Hermione has just told Flitwick about her illness and is about to hold her first committee meeting for the rebuilding of Hogwarts.

* * *

Hermione slowed her stride to accommodate Flitwick's shorter walk as they made their way to the staff-room. She smiled and looked at her ex-Professor. It was nice to be the taller one for a change.

"How many people shall be in attendance?" Flitwick asked as he led her down corridors she had never seen before.

"Well," she began as she thought of the other members on her committee, "there's the three Heads of House, myself of course, Fleur, George, Luna, Ron and Lee Jordan. I also requested for Oliver Wood but he's pretty busy at the moment and couldn't get out of his schedule on such short notice."

"Miss Lovegood shall be joining us?"

"Yeah, Minerva and I agreed that there should be a student representative. We're re-building Hogwarts for them after all."

"Quite right, excellent idea; one of your better ones in fact," Flitwick glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and gave her a slightly judgmental look.

"Not this again," Hermione sighed. "Look, Professor-"

"Filius, I insist."

"Right, Filius, then. Look, I don't _want_ anyone to know, it's my choice and I would remind you that you were supportive of said choice not five minutes ago. Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded as they came upon the staff-room.

"Oh, a secret? I hope I'm not intruding?"

Hermione looked up at a tall woman, not much older than her with flowing red hair. "Who are you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Her tone probably could have been adjusted but she was still hungover and really not looking forward to being in the same room as Severus for the foreseeable future.

"I'm the Muggle studies Professor this year. And you are?" The woman stood right in front of the two gargoyles guarding the staffroom and Hermione couldn't help but feel a bit surprised by her question. She supposed it _was_ somewhat vain and pretentious to assume that everyone knew who she was, but it would take someone living under a rock for the past year to not see something about her in the press.

"Umm, Hermione Granger," she said slowly, unused to confrontation.

The woman blinked and laughed. "Oh! I'm sorry for not recognising you. My God, people really do exaggerate the state of your hair! I was expecting something with a lot more… volume."

Hermione's other eyebrow rose and she looked at Flitwick who was nervously glancing at both witches. Her hair was currently tied up in a bun and slightly greasy, causing her curls to become more tamed this morning. However she couldn't help but feel that this witch was actually insulting her for it _not_ being a bird's nest

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well, the Daily Prophet is always spouting articles and mentioning your supposedly 'luscious mane'. I guess they've never actually interviewed you in person. In reality, it falls rather flat."

Hermione spluttered indignantly and opened her mouth to retort, "I'll have you know-"

"Well, would you like at the time! We're late for your meeting, Miss Granger! If you'd excuse us Lucinda," Flitwick said as he ushered Hermione through the staffroom.

"What? Oh, yes, my committee," Hermione's voice trailed off as she saw the red head smirk and saunter down the corridor while swinging her hips. "What was her problem?!" she shrieked as she entered the staffroom.

"I don't know," Flitwick shook his head. "She usually keeps herself to herself. Well, I suppose she did have that run-in with Severus on Friday."

The other occupants of the staffroom looked up, interested in the sight of their Chairwoman already ranting and raving. "She had no right! What kind of stupid bint actually takes notice of what the Prophet has to say, anyway? Wait, did you say Severus?"

"Yes," Flitwick said slowly and backed away from the Witch in front of him.

"What kind of run-in!?" she practically shrieked.

"She was sitting in his chair," Professor Sprout supplied helpfully from the side as she read a magazine. "To which he responded quite menacingly with, quote on quote, 'get off my fucking chair'." She imitated his voice and casually turned the glossy page of Witch Weekly as Flitwick frantically nodded in front of Hermione.

Hermione suddenly realised that she had become quite angry in a matter of seconds for a very stupid reason. She was, for a brief moment of idiocy… unfoundedly jealous. The thought of Severus having a run-in of any kind with the tall, beautiful Muggle studies Professor caused her heart to beat frantically and her head to fill with ludicrous situations.

Why should she be jealous? She shouldn't be. Exactly; she wasn't. Hermione grimaced at her internal monologue and desperately tried to salvage the situation as she noticed the many pairs of eyes staring at her. None of which, was black, thank Heaven.

"Well, she shouldn't have been sitting in his chair," she muttered and went to stand by the table to the right side of the room. "Anyway, moving swiftly on; I'm glad everyone could make it to our first meeting."

She saw Ron and Lee smirk at her as she stood in front of them and noticed that Professor Sprout had put down her magazine.

"You all know why you're here. We need to fix Hogwarts and, as per usual, the Ministry isn't doing anything to help."

"How exactly do you propose we help?" George's voice rang out from near the fireplace.

"I've begun taking various fundraising ideas from Muggles," she said as she passed out copies of the notes she had made today.

"Such as?" Flitwick asked as he scanned the muggle piece of paper in front of him.

"There are lots of things we could do, but with the Christmas Holidays coming up, I really don't think we should let such an opportunity to pass by. In my experience people are usually in a more giving mood during Yuletide."

"What about carolling?" Sprout remarked. "That's generally regarded as something festive, yes?"

"The Choir lost some members this year, but I think if I can appeal to some of the younger years, it might be possible." Flitwick's voice was thoughtful as he mentally ran through his schedule.

Hermione grinned. That was brilliant! How didn't she think of carolling when she was brainstorming with Harry earlier?

"When and where could we bring students though?"

"What about outside the shop?" George asked. "I could bring in some of my displays from the street and make room for them to stand just by the door. That way we could keep them safe."

"That's perfect, George, thank you!" Hermione gushed.

"Vat about a market?"

"A market?"

Fleur nodded. "Back home, zere are always stalls et markets at Christmas time but I 'av yet to see one in England."

"Like a fair?" Hermione asked and looked into the fire at the thought. "A Christmas fair?"

Filius perked up immediately at the mention of a fair. "It would be relatively easy to set up a few tents here on the grounds and spruce things up with a bit of tinsel. And maybe some firefly lights. Mr Weasley, how's your firework collection these days?"

"Excellent," said George with the hint of a smile and Hermione's heart lightened at the sight of it. He hadn't smiled properly since Fred.

"Hold on, we don't want to be getting ahead of ourselves," she said with amusement. "What would we even sell at this thing?"

"Hagrid brought me kilos of Holly and Mistletoe this morning, but all we would have to do is put a pin through them and suddenly it's a lovely Christmas pin for only a Knut." Sprout's face lit up as she thought of the possibilities.

"The elves could make some of their spiced pumpkin punch!" Ron said and smiled broadly at Hermione.

"So you currently have all of two stalls for your Christmas market."

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, 'Mione!'"

"I'm not a spoilsport, I'm a realist."

"I could bring some of the wagons and set up a few displays," George offered.

"Yes, but then it's only one more stall. I don't know about this one…" Hermione trailed off as Lee suddenly clicked his fingers.

"I've got it!" he cried. "We'll bring flyers to work on Monday and put them all over Diagon Alley. We can ask the different businesses if they'd like to set up a stall at our exclusive Hogwarts Christmas Market."

"We could move the microphone from the Quidditch pitch and have a DJ," Ron said as an afterthought.

"It would be the first time that Hogwarts was open to the public for such an event. Would we be able to get permission?" Sprout asked with concern.

"Hermione already asked Snape to talk to the Board about fund raising based on Muggle ideas," Ron inputted helpfully.

"Oh, this is so great! We could get a few food vendors to come," Lee said with excitement.

"I'm sure Rosmerta wouldn't mind selling a few Butterbeers if Minerva asked."

"Do you think we could ask Honeydukes as well?"

"I don't see why not."

Laughter erupted in the room at Ron's hopeful face and Hermione shook her head. "You all really think we can do this?" she asked disbelievingly.

"We can," Luna looked up from writing for the first time that evening, "but you probably can't."

"What do you mean?"

"Your NEWT exams start on Monday the seventh which happens to be next week when the rest of the school also starts exams." She glanced down at her notes as she spoke. "The majority of the student population then leave on Wednesday the 23rd for their Christmas break. This means that even if we hold this Market on the evening of the 22nd we have roughly only four weeks to organise it, during which you shall be doing your NEWTS."

Hermione bit her lip as she processed the information. After everything that had been going on recently she had nearly forgotten that her Transfiguration NEWT was next Monday. Nearly.

"Bloody hell, Luna you thought of all that!?" Ron exclaimed and the witch blushed under the room's scrutiny.

"I think a bit of delegation is in order, Miss Granger, you can't do your NEWTS and run this event at the same time," Professor Sprout suggested quietly and Hermione surveyed the seven people staring up at her. It struck her that this was _her_ committee. She controlled these people and right now, she _had_ to delegate; it wasn't a choice, it was a necessity.

"Is everyone in favour of the Christmas Fair?"

Seven rounds of 'yes' rang throughout the room and Hermione smiled to herself.

"Shall we abandon the Carolling then?" Flitwick asked politely.

"No," she said thoughtfully. "Arrange to bring your choir and one or two other students, have them hand out flyers to passers-by, advertising the fair to be in Hogwarts grounds on the 22nd."

"Free advertising, I like it," Lee said smugly.

"We could also make vouchers or coupons with the flyers," Luna suggested, "like a free mug of spiced pumpkin juice or something."

"Excellent, I love it," Hermione said quickly. "Right then; George and Lee, you're in charge of getting businesses to set up a stall and take part in our fair. Ron and Professor Sprout, it would be great if you could wrangle up some marquees to try and create a market place or something."

"You got it boss," Ron replied cheekily.

"Professor Flitwick, you're in charge of decorations."

The Professor rubbed his hands together, relishing the possibilities. "Not a problem, Miss Granger, you're in safe hands."

"Fleur, if you could arrange the little extra things, such as a wide range heating charm, the stall for the elves and arranging the DJ or music or whatever kind of entertainment want; just make sure it's either free. Or low budget. It would also be a great help if you could be the person that assigns the marquees to businesses and anyone looking to sell something, that way people couldn't just set up a stall wherever they wanted."

Fleur nodded and conjured a slip of parchment with her address on it before handing it to George. "Tell ze businesses to send any questions to moi at zees address," she said with her strong French accent.

"Finally, Luna, you are officially Project Manager and you organise everything else, including the flyers and the students."

The Ravenclaw simply nodded and scratched down more details onto the page in front of her.

"What about Severus? Does he have a job?" Flitwick enquired.

"He's talking to the Board for me, as Ron mentioned earlier." Hermione actually had no idea where Severus was and could only hope that he kept to his word and dealt with the Board of Management on her behalf; although she wouldn't blame him if he hadn't. She tried to banish the image of his body pinning her to the wall and his deep voice saying that he wanted her. Unfortunately for her concentration, she was unsuccessful.

The Committee's first meeting came to a close rather quickly and Hermione was pleasantly surprised at the amount they had gotten done. As she walked back to the apparition point with Ron beside her and plans of a large festive Market in her head, she could almost forget about the curse flowing through her veins. She shook her head and reminded herself that she couldn't forget. She had slipped up too much already, it was time to deal with it. She was dying and she would have to get over it if she hoped of restoring Hogwarts.

* * *

"Hermione?" Ron crept into the library at Grimmauld Place and saw his best friend slumped over a stack of books with a quill sticking out of her hair. His mind flashed back to those years in Hogwarts when he and Harry would walk into the common room in the morning, only to find Hermione asleep on an armchair with an Arithmancy text in her lap.

He smiled indulgently and walked over to gently nudge her shoulder. Her NEWT exams were starting in three days and she was still trying to avoid the press while studying at the same time. As he reached down to shake her, he noticed the books on the table. His forehead creased as he took in the Dark books on blood magic and offensive spells. Why would Hermione want them?

The girl next to him suddenly moaned in her sleep and Ron jumped as he looked at her. Her nose was bleeding.

"Hermione!" he shouted and expected her to jerk awake, but became even more concerned when she could barely open her eyes. "Hermione?" he asked again and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to prop her up in the chair.

"Hmmm, Won?" she could barely speak and his heart started to beat frantically in his chest. Her pupils were too wide in her eyes and she had sweat pooling on her forehead.

"'Mione? Hey, are you okay?"He flicked his wand and the blood running from her nose was wiped away, only for another flow of red to come spilling out soon after. "Hermione! Bloody hell, answer me, damn it!"

"Posun," she murmured and then blinked in confusion before trying to sound out the word she was trying to say. "Poshin."

"Potion? You have a potion?" he asked frantically and started to search her pockets. He found three vials hidden on her person and recognised one as blood replenisher. He couldn't figure out what the other two were and desperately tried to get her to wake up a bit more. "'Mione, you have to tell me which one. What potion, Hermione?"

She opened her eyes blearily and vaguely gestured to his right hand which was holding a vial with a thick, dark blue solution. He wasted no time in opening it and tilting her head back in order to pour it down her throat. She spluttered and coughed as some of the blood from her nose also got into her mouth, but he made sure that she swallowed the whole vial.

"Hermione?" Ron conjured a glass of water and tried to coax some down her throat. After a while she began to come around and grasped the glass in both hands, drinking heavily. She collapsed back into the chair and took large breaths of air as he cast cleansing charms, ridding her of sweat and blood. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she gasped as she continued to breathe heavily and the blood from her nose stopped flowing.

"I think it's time you tell me what's really going on."

"I have no idea what you're-"

"Stop! I'm not blind, 'Mione! I can recognise the signs of a Dark curse when I see them," he said firmly.

"I never said you were blind, Ron," she said in a weak voice.

He reached over to grasp her hand and looked her in the eye as he said, "please, tell me the truth."

* * *

 **Varna, Bulgaria, 4** **th** **of December.**

Severus landed at the port-key drop off with only a slight stumble and thanked Merlin there was no-one around to see even that.

The Grand Hotel London was a Muggle/Magical hotel which boasted period themed furniture in the middle of Varna city. Severus looked around and felt as if he had stepped into a more sunny part of Malfoy Manor when he saw the aristocratic furniture.

He hesitantly stepped towards the reception and hoped that the tanned young man behind the desk spoke at least some English. "Good Morning," Severus said hesitantly.

"Good morning, Sir, have you made a reservation?"

Severus mentally sighed in relief at the English accent. "No, but I do have a membership card," he said as he handed over the metallic gold card that Borisov had sent him.

The receptionist smiled and took the card, "ah, yes, there's a lot of people with memberships this weekend. Oh, you're the first Gold member though," he smiled showing off brilliant white teeth and looked Severus up and down. "Name, please?"

"Professor Severus Snape," he replied briskly and sneered at the young man in front of him. He had no idea what the idiot had meant by 'Gold member', but Severus lived by a very simple rule that had served him well in his 38 years; 'when in doubt, act superior.'

"Snape?" the receptionist asked with an open mouth and openly looked at him up and down once more. This time though, Severus felt distinctly more uncomfortable and simply nodded in reply.

He was itching to get up to his room and shower. The Ministry had put him through the ringer at Regulations for International Port-keys. He knew that his reputation was intimidating, but it really wasn't his fault that the trainee Auror fainted when he was told that Severus had to be frisked.

"Now, Sir, you'll be put in a deluxe room on the third floor. Is that to your liking?"

"Yes, that's fine," he replied absentmindedly. He was thinking about his Slytherins and how they were getting on with Sinistra. It was nearly noon in Scotland and the announcement of his absence for Friday lessons would have already been told at breakfast.

He had given a meeting in the common room the night before to let them know where to go if they needed anything and had provided Sinistra an extensive list of the students that would need to be watched closely. Experience told him that something was bound to go horrifically wrong, but Minerva had insisted that he go. 'They won't even realise that you're gone,' she had assured him.

"Now, Sir, meals shall be provided in the Restaurant Musala every day, with breakfast starting at 7am until 10am. With your Gold card, you are entitled to the use of our Wellness Centre including the gym, sauna and jacuzzi. The Grand Café is open all day until 1am with a full bar and these are your two room keys." He handed over two gold coloured cards similar to what Borisov had given him and a leaflet

"Thank you," Severus said quickly and made his way over to the stairs. Muggle lifts had never appealed to him. The thought of a small cramped space suspended in air gave him shivers. He also didn't understand how they worked exactly, which instantly rubbed him the wrong way.

"Enjoy your stay," the tanned receptionist called and leaned over the desk to watch as the austere man walked away.

As soon as Severus was out of sight, he reached for the phone on the desk. "You won't BELIEVE who just checked in!" he screeched with an insane amount of enthusiasm down the phone and reached for an old copy of the Daily Prophet. The cover of which was plastered with photos of Severus Snape and Hermione Granger.

* * *

The shower in his room was unlike anything he had ever seen before and Severus was nearly late to the scheduled dinner that evening. It had jets of water coming out of the wall and one was able to adjust the pressure to suit their needs. It felt like what Severus assumed a back massage would feel like, not that he had anything to compare it with.

He walked down the stairs at a slow pace and smoothed out the wrinkles of his black waistcoat. It had a high collar to cover his scars, but he hoped it was formal enough for the first evening. He didn't want to walk into the lobby wearing dress robes and bump into a very confused muggle.

"Ah, Professor Snape, I vas vondering ven ve vould meet."

Severus turned to see a tall, long black haired man wearing a full wine-coloured muggle suit. He had broad shoulders and a strong jaw with an even stronger Bulgarian accent.

"Chairman Borisov, I would presume," Severus said as they shook hands.

"You vould presume correctly. Come! Let me show you to our table," he said and strode into the Restaurant Musala with confidence.

Severus' eyebrows raised at the words 'our table' but nonetheless followed the large man into the centre of the room with a large circular table. The room was smaller than he had anticipated and most of the tables were already full.

"Gentlemen, zis is Professor Snape of England, he shall be joining us zis weekend."

Severus recognised nearly all the faces at the table and was instantly nervous. They were all highly respected and talented Potioneers. He drew on his experience of sitting in grand, lavish halls while surrounded by Death Eaters and took a deep breath.

He had never thought that he would be grateful for the Dark Lord making him attend the pompous parades of pureblood supporters, but in that moment, it was easy to fall back into his superior persona of a well-respected Gentleman.

He took his seat between Septimus Viridian and Athena Bourne while Borisov took his place directly opposite. It itched that the Wizard had placed him with his back to the door, but Severus tried to clamp down on those feelings. The war was over now.

"Is this your first meeting at the 'Elites', Professor Snape?"

Severus turned slightly to his left to watch Athena Bourne glance at him over her glass of red wine. A merlot if the colour was anything to go by. He knew that she knew it was his first time, but decided to humour her despite it. She was the daughter of Phineas Bourne, the author of 'Moste Potent Potions' and it wouldn't do to make enemies on his first night.

"Yes, Chairman Borisov was kind enough to extend me an invitation."

"A first timer and already a Gold member." That comment came from Viridian to his right. He had a strong, posh Chelsea accent that instantly set Severus' Manchester roots on edge.

"Don't mind him, Professor, this is my first year sitting at the adults table as well," she winked at him and raised a hand delicately, calling over the waiter. "I'll have another Merlot please, Gavin."

Severus inwardly congratulated himself on knowing the wine, but his attention was taken once more by Mistress Bourne.

"What are you drinking, Professor?" she asked politely.

"A mature cabernet sauvignon, if you please."

"That seems a bit odd," Viridian commented as the waiter walked away, "I was told you had a taste for things of a more younger variety."

Severus immediately stopped unrolling his napkin over his lap under the table as the man spoke. "And where did you get that impression?" he asked casually, highly aware that most of the conversation at the table had stopped and all eyes were now on him. It wouldn't do to curse at the fool while surrounded by the Elite.

"One reads things."

"Really, Septimus? I wasn't aware you could read."

Once again Mistress Bourne had swooped in and filled the silence. Muffled laughter sounded throughout the table as Viridian responded with an indignant, "I can read."

"Illiteracy is a growing problem, nowadays, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," Severus responded smoothly.

"Is it, Professor? How interesting," Bourne commented.

Viridian sneered and turned to an aging Potions Master sitting on the other side of him, recognising when he was beaten.

"Yes, it is," Severus said softly as he turned Bourne once more. It was then he realised that she was the only woman sitting at the table. "Thank you for that."

She waved her hand nonchalantly and took a sip from the glass that the waiter had just brought down. "It's nothing. I know how it feels to be verbally tested for the amusement of stuffy old men."

"Well I am in your debt, Mistress Bourne. It seems I have found myself thrown into the deep end here."

"I hope you know how to swim," she commented dryly and his lips twisted into a smirk. "And please, call me Athena, it will hard enough for you as it is without all the formalities."

"Ah, you've heard, then?"

"Heard? My dear Professor Snape, after that particular article, I'm quite sure most of our world has _seen_ the photographs for themselves. Never mind the scandal spreading by word of mouth."

Severus tipped his head in agreement and muttered a word of thanks to the waiter who put his drink in front of him. "Yes, the Daily Prophet does have a way with making my life that little bit more difficult."

"I noticed. However, it does surprise me that a wizard as powerful as yourself finds yourself in a position to allow people to make your life harder as frequently as you do."

"I wouldn't say I'm powerful," Severus replied as he glanced over a menu.

"Really? I've heard stories about you, Professor. Stories from frightened men, depicting the various deeds you have done. What would you call that, if not power?"

Severus' lips quirked upwards. "Intimidation."

Athena laughed loudly and Viridian immediately turned to them once more. "I see you two are getting along."

"Yes," the woman replied and laid a hand over Severus' arm, "I thought we had already established that Professor Snape prefers mature things in life. Evidently, that also affects his choice for conversation."

"I don't see why you must make this so difficult," Viridian hissed and his voice lost some of the posh lilt to it.

"I wouldn't have to if you simply listened once in a while, Septimus."

The Chelsea Potion's Master said nothing in reply and simply turned around.

"Am I missing something?" Severus asked her as she released his arm.

"Let's just say your life isn't the only one that's difficult."

"Lovers quarrel?"

"No!" she replied too quickly. Severus simply raised one eyebrow and it didn't take long for her to crack under his gaze. "Alright, yes, but it would take far too long to explain and doesn't even really make sense."

Severus tilted his head and took a large gulp of his wine. "That, I can understand."

"It's just that, have you ever felt like you're standing in a crowd, surrounded by thousands of people who completely ignore you? And you're fine with that! In fact, that suits you perfectly well, but then someone does see you and can talk to you and you discover that maybe, just maybe, you don't want to be alone in the crowd anymore. And that thought scares the hell out of you."

Severus put down his glass and turned to look at the woman to his left who was staring at the man on his right. "You left him," he stated quietly and she glanced briefly into his eyes.

"I had spent my entire life only looking out for me and then suddenly there was a person that I would do anything for, no matter what the cost. It scared me. More than I care to admit."

"So you just ran away?"

"Well, what do you when you get scared?"

"Some people simply ask for help," he said, trying to avoid her question. He wasn't allowed to be scared during the war; it didn't matter if he felt it or not.

"And is that something you would also do, Severus?" she asked slyly.

He pressed his lips together and considered her question. In all his life, he had only begged for help once, and it was not to someone he had loved; Dumbledore was a thorn in his master's side back then. He couldn't imagine being so scared as to grovel for help once more at this stage of his life.

Severus' appetite fled him as he thought about himself and Hermione. If it was as Minerva stated and she did in fact want him, then maybe the reason she keeps running away is that she's scared.

Severus frowned and contemplated when he had pushed her against the wall. He had told her how he felt before Tonks had interrupted them. She didn't appear scared when he was telling her that he still wanted her; she appeared sad. He had assumed that she was sad because she didn't want him in return; but perhaps, there was something else.

He sat back in his seat and watched as Athena smirked into her glass of wine as she glanced over at Viridian. If Hermione _was_ hiding something from him, and he found out what it was, then perhaps, they could move forward together. He smiled and leaned forward in his seat.

He had spent nearly a decade spying on the Dark Lord and keeping secrets. If Hermione Granger was trying to hide something, then it really wouldn't be too long before he found out what it was.


	7. We Should Just Kiss

"Why didn't you just tell us, 'Mione?" Ron couldn't seem to let the subject of her illness drop. Hermione had eventually dragged him to a muggle café in London so that they could talk without the threat of Harry overhearing them.

"Because I knew you wouldn't be able to help me. I went to everyone, Ron! St Mungo's, a famous Charms Master, the biggest Magical library in America. Nothing could help me; no-one can help me."

"But, why?" he nearly shouted and Hermione smiled despite the serious topic of conversation. The foam from Ron's hot chocolate was stuck to his lip.

"I combined muggle and magical medicine to slow down the process of the curse. No-one has ever lived this long while suffering the effects of _Sanguis Proditor_."

"Have you told anyone else?"

She briefly closed her eyes and took a sip of her cappuccino. "Just Professor Flitwick."

"Not Snape?"

Her eyes flew open and she pinned him with her gaze. "No," she said firmly.

"Merlin, 'Mione. This is why you won't tell him how you feel," he realised slowly.

"Yes," she said and looked away quickly. "I can't admit to him how I feel, only to tell him that I will die in seven or eight months; it's too cruel."

"Shouldn't that be his decision to make?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Why do you even _care,_ Ron?! You've always hated him"

He leaned forward in his seat and hissed, "that was before I knew you were dying."

"I'm sorry you found me like that, but just because you now know, doesn't mean that you get to treat me like an invalid and tell me what to do with the time I have left."

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do, 'Mione, but if what you're saying is true and you really don't have that much time left; then don't you want to enjoy your last moments?"

"And emotionally traumatising the man I care for will allow me to enjoy my life?" she asked sarcastically.

"You're just scared," he said bluntly and she slammed her cup onto the table. Ron flinched as he saw the anger and hurt on her face.

"Of course, I'm scared, Ron!" Tears filled her eyes and she angrily wiped them away. "I'm terrified! My parents are lost in Australia with no memory of who I am. I'm taking the last exams I will ever take in just one day. Someone who I have looked up to has asked me to re-build an entire bloody castle and I can't let her down. Seven months ago, I fought in a war and lost half my peer group. I slept with my teacher and it was photographed and put on the front page of a bloody newspaper. And while all of this has been happening; my body has been trying to kill me!"

Hermione panted and sat back in her seat. "I'm petrified of dying, Ron, and when I'm with Severus, I get this feeling of safety or comfort or… something. It tricks me into thinking that everything will be okay and I am terrified that if I continue to talk to him; to be with him, then I will forget that I am supposed to spare him this pain and stay away from him. If I tell him, Ron, then I'm afraid that I'll forget and I'll start to hope and I'll let myself get carried away."

She looked down into her lap and blinked the tears out of her eyes. "I'm afraid I'll fall in love with him," she whispered softly.

Ron reached across the small table and took her hand in his. The tears were now steadily flowing down her cheeks and he gently ran his thumb along her knuckles to soothe her. "I think you already have," he said delicately.

Hermione's breath hitched and her eyes closed. "Why would you think that?"

"Why else would you try to protect him from your death? You know that if he knew the full extent of your feelings and the two of you were to become involved, then there would be a big chance that he would also fall in love with you. You were trying to spare him from saying goodbye to someone he loved, weren't you?"

"I can't do that to him; not after everything he went through with…" her voice trailed off as she remembered the image of Severus screaming over Lily Potter's lifeless body in her dream. "You have to promise me that you won't tell him," she said firmly.

"I don't know, 'Mione. I still think you should tell him," Ron admitted.

"Why? Weren't you listening to everything I just said?!"

"Yes. You want to spare him from the possibility of falling in love with you only to bury you later on."

She let out a relieved breath and nodded thankfully, "yes, exact-"

"-But what if he already is?" Ron interrupted.

"If he already is, what?"

"In love with you?" he said simply.

Hermione spluttered. "Severus Snape is _not_ in love with me."

"How do you know? Have you asked him?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes and shook her head in annoyance. "Ron, for God's sake, I know you like to tease him for being old and alone, but just because I slept with him does not mean that he instantly fell in love with me."

Ron hummed and took a large gulp of coffee. "Are you willing to bet?" he asked smugly.

"Bet on whether Snape is in love with me or not?" she asked incredulously. "I think that's the stupidest thing you've ever said."

"No, I'm serious," he laughed. "Ask him to go to the Christmas Fair with you and if he kisses you before the end of the night, you owe me five galleons."

"That completely defeats the purpose of me staying away and protecting him."

"Yes, but I think that's the stupidest thing you've ever said; so, I'm intervening," he said with a grin.

"He'll be at the fair anyway; there's no point in asking him to go with me."

"There's a difference between being at the fair and being at the fair _together_ ," he said with a sigh as if he was explaining something very obvious to a small child.

"That makes absolutely no sense," Hermione said with an air of superiority.

"It makes perfect sense." He smiled as he noticed that her tears had cleared up. "Fine, if you think it's so stupid then why not accept the bet?"

"No."

"Aww, 'Mione! Come on, it's just a bit of fun."

"No, you simply want five galleons. And using a man's feelings for a bet is not fun," she said and stood up from their booth in the café. "Come on, I want to get some more study done before Transfiguration tomorrow."

Ron squinted against the afternoon sun and stuffed his hands in his pockets as they walked to the apparition point. "So," he began and pretended not to notice as Hermione rolled her eyes, "not to be insensitive or anything; but why are you even taking your NEWTS if you're going to die soon?"

"Well," she answered slowly, "when I was younger I made a list of things I wanted to do before I died. It's called a bucket list and it was just a childish thing, really. But, when I learned of my condition, I dug it out again. Becoming a Princess seems a tad unrealistic now and I doubt I will ever get to see the Northern Lights, or drink hot chocolate under the Eiffel Tower, so I decided to try and complete my fourth goal."

Ron smiled sadly and nodded, "to do your NEWTs."

"With straight Outstandings in every subject," she beamed proudly. "My twelve-year-old self was very specific."

Ron smiled, but then a shadow crossed his face and he frowned. "Hermione, I want you to know-"

"-Hush," she interrupted gently, "what's done is done. We've talked about this long enough now." She put her hand against his cheek as his eyes filled with tears. "Thank you for caring so much, Ron. You're a good friend."

He said nothing in reply and simply wrapped his large arms around her frame. It suddenly struck him how frail his best friend had become and he inwardly berated himself for not realising sooner.

* * *

Severus Snape sighed in annoyance and tried once more to focus on the parchment in front of him. Sinistra had completed a full evaluation of his Slytherins during his weekend away. Apparently, the Half-blood and Muggleborn students had gone a little crazy in his absence. The evening class on a Friday was the only one he was unable to attend. It just so happened that the class was a recovery Potions module for second and third year students who needed to catch up or revise.

She had written about an incident which involved Andrew Robbins, a Pureblood, asking where their normal Professor was. As Sinistra replied that he would be missing for the weekend, Bobby Cross; one of the few Slytherin Muggleborns, stood up and started to sing. Sinistra didn't note the song as she didn't recognise it, but apparently, it had something to do with wishing for death.

Snape sneered as he read that she was 'very shaken and disturbed by the boy's waving arms and scary singing'. Honestly, how could a thirteen-year old's singing possibly inspire fear in an experienced teacher of her age? It had gotten the other students very riled up and it took her twenty minutes to calm them down. She eventually had to simply dismiss the class.

Snape sighed once more and pinched the bridge of his nose. He takes one weekend away and comes back to deal with this crap. It was a joke. He pushed the parchment away from him and leaned back in his chair. Unfortunately, an insane thirteen-year-old was the least of his problems.

When he had arrived back form Varna, Filius filled him in on the decision that Miss Granger's committee had made in his absence. A fucking Christmas Fair. As if his life wasn't complicated enough without being asked to help create a modified version of a warming charm that would cover the 'Fair ground'.

He groaned and pressed his thumbs firmly underneath his eyebrows. It was arranged for the twenty-second, the day before the students go home and was open to the public. He tried not to stress about it, he really did; but the security risk alone was making his skin crawl. Not to mention that everyone else on the committee seemed to have a specific job and his only task was to talk to the Board. Which he did when she had asked him to. Not that she cared.

He rolled his eyes at his own petulant thoughts. What was wrong with him? Perhaps he was coming down with something. For some reason, it irked him that she didn't check if he had done as she asked, or questioned where he was that weekend. Even though, she was the one who had set it up and had probably already talked to Borisov to thank him for the hand-out. Not that Snape didn't appreciate hand-outs; he did. He was a Slytherin, born and bred. He had no problem with exploiting a situation for his benefit. But, for some unknown reason, it frustrated him that Hermione was trying to help him; he hated being in debt.

His hands rested on the arms of his chair. He started to think about Filius' charm again and was struck by inspiration. If they could somehow figure out the exact distance of the fairground and then calculate that by-

"Professor Snape?"

Severus jumped in his chair as his thoughts were disrupted by a knock on his door. "Come in," he called out and straightened the papers scattered on his desk as Ronald Weasley walked into his office. "Mr Weasley," he said with a raised eyebrow, "what a surprise."

"Hi," the teenager said awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks turned red. The silence stretched between them as Ron remained standing silent in front of his desk. Severus eventually turned towards the open file in front of him and pretended to be concentrating on what Sinistra had to say.

"I presume you're here with a reason," he drawled slowly.

"Um, yeah…"

"Well, spit it out, Mr Weasley. Some of us have a job to do."

Ron took a deep breath and stepped closer to his desk. "Hermione put me in charge of finding stalls and marquees for the Fair, but I'm having a little trouble finding any. McGonagall said that I could use the tents that were set up during the Triwizard tournament."

"Then why are you here?"

"She doesn't know where they are and thought you might have some ideas."

Severus shook his head in annoyance. He was Headmaster for one year and was still expected to know everything. Fortunately for Mr Weasley, however; he did, in fact, know the answer to his question. "Last year, Mr Longbottom was sentenced to detention with the Carrows. I intervened and had him clean every tent that was used during the Triwizard Tournament instead; I suggest you ask him where he put them."

Ron nodded pensively. "That was… nice of you."

Severus looked up and narrowed his eyes, but said nothing in return.

"I heard you went on a trip. How was it?"

Severus' eyes nearly closed as he narrowed them further. "Adequate," he replied.

"Right. Okay," Ron clasped his hands in front of him and pursed his lips as he looked around the office.

"Is everything to your liking?" Severus asked sarcastically and looked at the papers on his desk once more.

"I like your couch; that's new," he said with false bravado, "not too fond of your interior design though." Ron gestured towards the jars containing his experiments on the shelves and Severus nearly snorted in amusement. Nearly.

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind the next time I do my Spring cleaning."

Ron's lips twisted upwards, but the Professor kept his eyes trained on the desk in front of him. Ron hesitated once more and then eventually sat down in the chair opposite Snape who looked up in surprise at his movements.

"So, this Fair is gonna be fun, huh?" Ron said with fake amusement and nervously laughed.

"Mr Weasley, I would greatly appreciate it, if you could get to the point," Snape snarled.

Ron nodded and pursed his lips. "I guess I don't really have a point to be honest. I just wanted to ask for your help and then let you know that Hermione will be staying here for the next two weeks as she finishes her exams."

"What Miss Granger does in her free time is of no consequence to me," Snape muttered.

"I know," Ron winced. "I just thought you might want to know…"

"Why on Earth would I care?" The Professor snapped. The boy was starting to irritate him and Snape was desperately trying not to hex him.

"I dunno, maybe in case you wanted to… ask her out or something." Ron's face exploded in colour and he stared resolutely at the wall behind his old Professor when Snape suddenly looked up.

"Mr Weasley?" he said in a low, threatening voice and Ron nearly started to shake.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Do you have a death wish?"

"No, Sir."

"Then get out."

"Yes, Sir." Ron jumped out of the chair and nearly ran out of Snape's office.

Snape sighed and sat back in his chair as the boy hurried away. His forehead creased in anger as he remembered the short conversation. Ronald Weasley may be an idiot, but at least he had the sense to run.

* * *

Hermione walked out of her Transfiguration exam already going over Arithmancy formulae in preparation for tomorrow's exam. She shook the tension out of her right hand and tried to ignore the conversations taking place around her. The other seven students were talking about what they would have for dinner and if being eighteen meant that they now had an extended curfew.

She shook her head and smiled as they walked past her, planning to spend their evening in Hogsmeade if McGonagall gave them the all clear. She thought about getting dinner with Ron if he was still here and massaged her palm. Hermione had forgotten how sore it was to write continuously for nearly three hours straight.

She didn't notice as the conversation around her grew quiet and the other students stopped walking. She looked up just in time to see a familiar black figure walking towards her. Her mind went blank for a second and then her thoughts started to race. A thousand questions ran through her head at once and she couldn't decide which one to voice out loud. Should she say hello? Will _he_ say hello? What happens if she does say hello and he continues to walk past her? Does he still want to be on her committee? Does he even want to be _near_ her? WHAT WAS THE SOCIAL PROTOCOL FOR THIS SITUATION?

Suddenly he was an arm's length away and her mouth acted before her mind had decided on what to say. "Severus," she greeted and smiled weakly up at him.

He stopped walking and stood in front of her, looking her up and down. For a moment, Hermione thought that he would continue on and not acknowledge her at all. Her heart started to beat frantically at the possibility of him ignoring her, even though, she had told Ron that that would be for the best.

She suddenly realised that there was a huge difference between talking about avoiding Severus, and actually doing it.

Thankfully, he chose that moment to speak, before she blurted out something stupid or simply ran away. "I spoke to the Board last week," he said slowly.

"Oh," she smiled and tried to think of something appropriate to say. "That's great. Thank you. What did they say?"

"They agreed that your idea had merit and gave the go-ahead for any fundraising event that is sanctioned and approved by the Heads of House and the Headmistress."

"Excellent. You can share the good news with the rest of the committee tomorrow night."

"There's a meeting tomorrow?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I decided that we should probably meet once more before the Fair. It's barely even two weeks away now," she said while wringing her hands. She had no idea why she was so nervous. Had he enjoyed Bulgaria? Should she ask about it?

"Ah, yes; the Christmas Fair. Filius is very excited, I must say. How did you think of it?"

"It wasn't me," she laughed nervously. "Fleur mentioned the German markets and suddenly everyone in the room was obsessed with the idea."

"It was a unanimous decision, then?"

"Yes, mostly. It took a bit to convince me, but after some delegation, I realised that we could do this."

He nodded and looked away, making Hermione feel slightly awkward once more. "Do you agree? With the Fair, I mean."

Severus pursed his lips, "I agree that it will raise money."

"But?" she prompted.

"But, anything that involves flooding Hogwarts with either people or decorations has _always_ set my teeth on edge."

Hermione smiled at his stubbornness despite the awkward atmosphere. She remembered when he had spent the Yule ball setting rose bushes on fire. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I took it upon myself to send a message to Kingsley and he's sending a few Aurors for security purposes."

Severus raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, "that makes me feel worse; knowing that the Ministry will be in charge."

She huffed in silent laughter at his sarcasm. "There's simply no pleasing you, Professor," she teased lightly.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," he said in a low voice filled with suggestion and Hermione's mouth opened slightly at the sound. She looked into his eyes that were an almost bottomless shade of black and watched as he smirked in a way that could only be described as sinful.

"How was your exam?" he asked with an amused look firmly planted on his face as he watched her struggle for words.

"Hmm? Oh, it was good. Very good. Question two gave me a spot of trouble but I did a quick brainstorm and powered through. I have Arithmancy tomorrow morning which will probably be a lot harder than today. And, of course the Potions practical is on Thursday. I'm actually looking forward to that; it will be a nice change from non-stop writing to be honest. My hand is killing me." She finally stopped talking and looked up to see him do that half-smirk, half-smile thing.

"I have no doubt you'll do excellently."

"Thanks," she said and blushed as the silence stretched between them once more. "I, uh, I heard you went to Bulgaria. To the Elites, wasn't it?"

He narrowed his eyes in a knowing look and Hermione's heart almost stopped. He couldn't possibly know that she set up his invitation. Could he?

"Yes. The Chairman extended me an invitation to attend and Minerva said that I should go."

"She was right; you needed a break," Hermione blurted out and blushed once more.

He gave her another assessing look, but didn't say anything as some students passed them in the corridor and Hermione suddenly began to feel very exposed. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow at the meeting, yeah? It's on at eight, in the staffroom." she said and started to walk away.

"Of course," he said politely. "Until then, Hermione."

* * *

The Committee's meeting arrived sooner than Severus was expecting. He sat in his favourite armchair at the back of the staffroom while waiting for Hermione to start. Mr Weasley was standing near the door talking to her in a hushed voice and sending occasional glances in his direction. The ex-spy tried to ignore it, but it eventually became obvious that the youngest male Weasley was talking to Hermione about him.

Severus narrowed his eyes and tried to read the boy's lips, while pretending to read the prophet. It looked as if he said 'you should tell him', but the Professor couldn't discern what she replied as she was standing with her back to him. Just then, Ronald sighed and threw his arms in the air before walking away. Severus followed his movements for three seconds and then flicked his eyes back to Hermione.

She was still standing where the boy left her, with one hand massaging her forehead and the other curled into a fist by her side. Severus flicked his newspaper in annoyance. He wasn't annoyed that she was upset. Oh, no. He was annoyed that he did not know _why_ she was upset. He hated not knowing things. Knowing things was his job for nearly a decade and it had saved his life more than once.

He debated about standing up and comforting the woman still standing by the door. Simply to discover what the boy had said to her, of course. But then, Pomona coughed and Hermione started the meeting.

"Good evening, everyone!" she called and picked up a muggle A4 pad. "I decided to check in with everyone's tasks and see how you're all getting on. Professor Flitwick, how's the decorations coming along?"

Severus rolled his eyes from behind the cover of the Prophet. The miniscule Charms Professor couldn't stop going on about the bloody decorations. He had to listen Filius' excitement at meals ever since he came back from Bulgaria.

"Excellently. At first, I was planning on using the traditional Christmas colours of red and green, but then I thought; why not represent all four houses? We have enough holly, poinsettias and mistletoe for Gryffindor and Slytherin. Which only left Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to cater for."

"And have you come up with a solution?" Hermione asked while scribbling on her A4 pad.

"Well, this is the excellent part. I decided to ask my classes if they had any ideas and little Bobby Cross told me of a charm that his brother used on their Christmas tree last year. Their mother was very stressed about the fairy lights breaking apparently, and his older brother devised a charm that mimics the twinkling of muggle fairy lights," Flitwick paused here to rub his hands together in excitement. "Mr Cross said it's the exact same yellow as the Hufflepuff crest."

"Have you tried it out?" Ron asked from the side.

"Yes, it works perfectly. It really is a fantastic charm."

Hermione nodded, "do you have anything to represent your own House?"

"I'm afraid that's a surprise, Miss Granger," the Charms Professor said with a smile.

Severus didn't even try to conceal his eye-rolling this time, but Hermione simply smiled back. "How are the stalls coming along, George?"

"Good, nine businesses have already signed up and I've been getting a lot of owls about it. People are definitely interested."

"Great," she wrote on her pad again and continued to the next person on her list. Severus looked down at his paper once more and tried to tune out the sounds of his colleague's progress.

It wasn't that he didn't think the Fair was a good idea; he did. It was just the fact that he was tired. Of everything. All he wanted was either a strong cup of coffee or a large glass of whiskey.

His eyes were drawn to the woman standing at the top of the room as he remembered the last time he had indulged in whiskey. Faded memories of sweet nothings and naked skin clashed with clearer memories of a warm mouth and grasping hands. Maybe just the coffee, then.

He coughed and crossed his legs nonchalantly as he tried to divert his gaze from Hermione. She was currently biting the end of a muggle pen and tilting her head while looking at her notes. His eyes were drawn to the long expanse of her neck and he could remember running his tongue along the soft skin.

She must have sensed someone looking at her and quickly flicked her eyes towards him. Her brown eyes blinked at the intensity of his gaze but she recovered quickly and sent a small smile in his direction before turning back to whatever Pomona was saying.

Severus slowly put down the Prophet in an effort to not make noise and decided to continue with his perusal of Hermione Granger's body. It seemed pointless to deny himself any longer. Besides, there wasn't any harm in looking; was there?

Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun that left curls resting on her neck and framing her face. Severus widened his eyes as he was struck by a memory of feeling those curls wrapped around his fist as she bent backwards over him. Black eyes travelled down her body but didn't see the red jumper and tight jeans. Severus' mind's eye was replacing each inch of her clothes with the skin he knew lay beneath.

He ran an index finger along his bottom lip as he imagined the long, puckered scar Dolohov had left between her breasts. He remembered kissing along each ridge and valley of the scar, but he could not recall the exact colour of it. Severus flexed his fingers and felt the phantom weight of her breasts in his palms.

He trailed his gaze back up her throat and watched in fascination as she gulped and the muscles of her neck flexed. She was watching him as he watched her and Severus instinctively knew that _she knew_ exactly what he was thinking.

"Is that alright, Miss Granger?"

Severus' lips twitched as Hermione jumped and came back to reality, tearing her eyes away from his gaze. She coughed and mumbled something incoherent to Pomona while continuously flicking her eyes in his direction.

He smirked to himself as she noticeably tried to move the meeting along. It was simply too easy to get to her.

"That concludes our second meeting. Good work, everyone. Any questions?" Hermione asked in slightly higher voice than usual.

"Yeah, I was wondering if there's going to be any security at this thing," Ron said.

"I sent an owl to Kingsley and he said he would send us a few Aurors to help with monitoring the Fair."

"Shouldn't we do something extra, though? Like put up a few charms or something?" asked George.

Hermione was silent for a while and then her face lit up. She flicked her eyes towards Severus and then said with a smile, "you're absolutely right, George." Severus narrowed his gaze in response to the mischievous gleam in her eyes as she continued to speak. "Which is why I've decided to put Severus in charge of security."

The Potions Master's eyebrows rose at both her declaration and the beaming smile she sent his way.

"Oh, well then," George said with a nod, "I'm sure we'll all be perfectly safe."

Severus cleared his throat and nodded slowly, not sure if the lad was being sarcastic or not. He remained sitting in his chair as the meeting ended and the others filed out of the staffroom. When Filius finally stopped talking about colour patterns and left with Pomona, he stood up from his chair and walked towards the front of the room.

Hermione smiled as he approached her and Severus clasped his hands behind his back. "Thank you, I think," he said with a tilt of his head.

"Well, I took what you said about the Ministry being in charge very seriously," she said with a small smile.

"And, obviously, the best person to keep them in line is… me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Obviously," She nodded in mock seriousness.

He smirked. "How have your exams been going?"

"Good. I'm looking forward to going to the Fair now and taking a break from it all." She leaned against the back of a large armchair and smiled up at him. Not for the first time, he was struck by their height difference.

"It's sure to be… interesting."

She laughed at his sourness, but then grew quiet as the smile slipped from her face. "Are you alright?" she asked slowly.

His brow furrowed. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that, when Professor Flitwick mentioned his new charm, you buried yourself in the Prophet and went quiet." She bit her lip and looked down at the floor, "you didn't say anything for the whole meeting."

Severus pursed his lips and sighed. He was hoping for a somewhat lighter conversation, but if he was being honest with himself, he would talk about anything she wanted him to. "David Cross was a fantastic student in Charms and Arithmancy, Filius shouldn't have been surprised that he had come up with an original spell by himself." Severus sighed again and looked away from her eyes, "no real flair for potions, though."

"He _was_ a fantastic student?" Hermione asked.

"He died," Snape said with a low voice while staring at a spot on the wall. "This year will be Bobby's first Christmas with just his mum."

"Where's their dad?" Hermione asked quietly.

"He died when the boys were young. I've never met him, but Bobby informs me that his dad would have liked me and thought that magic was 'cool'."

"You seem to have a close relationship with the Cross boys."

"David entered first year when you were beginning fourth year and the Dark Lord was rising again. He was a Muggleborn and sorted into Slytherin. I had to work closely with himself and his mother to create a convincing enough cover story to protect him from the children of Death Eaters in his House. I was in David's home on a weekend, when nine-year-old Bobby levitated my cloak off my shoulders and started to play with it. Evidently, he had also been given the gift of magic."

Severus blinked as memories overtook him and he had to resist the urge to run a hand through his hair in frustration.

"How did David die?" Hermione asked softly.

"He was supposed to go through the portrait hole in the Room of Requirement, but, because he was a Slytherin; he never got the chance. He was holding Bobby's hand when a giant plucked him from the ground and eat him whole. Bobby's wrist broke, he held onto his brother so hard."

Hermione grew quiet and then walked towards him with her hand outstretched. "How did Bobby survive?"

Severus swallowed the lump in his throat and watched as she took his hand in hers. "I was flying above the Battle when I saw what happened and landed in front of the boy before he could even scream. I apparated him to St Mungo's and then re-joined the Battle."

"That was very brave of you," she said and interlocked their fingers together.

Severus looked into her whiskey-coloured eyes. His other hand fluttered at his side, wanting to reach out and touch her. "We were all very brave that night," he whispered.

Her eyes drifted to his neck where his scars lay hidden from view. Her hand rose slowly, as if giving him time to back away, and came to rest on his ruined throat. "Some more than others," she said quietly; her voice heavy with meaning.

He looked at her lips and wondered what she would do if he kissed her. Minerva had said to seduce her, but would Hermione even _want_ to be seduced by him? Ever so slowly, he lowered his head and miraculously, she raised up on tiptoes to meet him halfway. Her lips were dry and slightly chapped, but oh, so warm. He captured her bottom lip in his and sunk his hand into her curls that were threatening to burst out of her hair tie.

Her tongue greeted his own like an old friend and Severus sighed into her mouth. She was warm and wet and she tasted of… _iron_. His eyes flew open and he reared his head back to look at the woman in front of him. He would know that taste anywhere. Her mouth was surrounded by a scarlet ring and his hand rushed to his own mouth, finding more blood on his lips.

"Hermione?" he asked and looked at her in panic.

She gasped and clamped a hand over her face, but blood quickly ran from her nose over her knuckles. He cast a cleansing charm on both of their faces and then took out a white handkerchief from his frockcoat. "Come, sit down," he urged gently and guided her into the armchair she was previously leaning against.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she took the handkerchief and held it against her face.

"Don't apologise," he said quickly. "It's only fair that you bleed on me, after what I put you through the night I flew to London." He wondered why he was talking so quickly and then realised that he was on his knees in front of her as she wiped blood from her face. Something in his chest cramped and he winced. What was wrong with him?

"Do you know what caused it?" he asked in an effort to get her talking. She had grown far too quiet and looked as if she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

She blinked multiple times and then looked down into her lap before shaking her head resolutely. "No," she whispered, "maybe it's from exams stress."

Severus nodded and laid a hand on her knee as she continued to dab at the blood pouring from her nose. He didn't ask any more questions and watched her with a look of concern. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was lying to him. Students got migraines and anxiety attacks from exam stress; not severe nosebleeds.

After a while, the blood stopped flowing and Hermione closed her eyes as her cheeks went red and Severus feared that she would start to cry. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed a lump in his throat and then slowly got to his feet.

"I'll walk you to your rooms," he said and held out his hand, which she took gratefully.

They reached the corridor that held the guest rooms, in no time at all. It was near the Hufflepuff common room and Severus released her hand when she stopped outside a particular door.

"Sorry again," she said and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, obviously embarrassed.

Severus grasped her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes. His lips twitched into a smile as they continued to look at each other without talking. Hermione raised an eyebrow at his expression, but didn't question it. Then, as slowly as he could; he kissed her lips with a delicacy that did not come naturally to him.

Before she could deepen the kiss, he retracted his lips and kissed the shell of her ear. "Don't apologise for that which you cannot control," he whispered gently and only stepped back when he eventually felt her nod in reply.

It only occurred to him, as he reached the dungeons, that he did not find out what Weasley wanted her to tell him. Severus sighed and opened the door to his chambers. It couldn't have been that important anyway.


End file.
